When asked what he thought about Rory wanting the PGA Tour to have just the top golfers competing in exclusive no-cut tournaments, fellow PGA Tour player Erik van Rooyen fired back.

“Then let him go to LIV. … I love Rory. He’s one of the best players ever, but what he’s saying sounds like LIV. I think tournaments with no cuts suck. … [Making the cut] is such an integral part of our sport. To make them [PGA Tour tournaments] smaller [with no cuts], why not just hand them the cash if that’s what it’s about?”

It does seem ironic that van Rooyen is saying Rory’s philosophy seems closer to the LIV Golf model than the traditional PGA Tour model. After all, it was Rory who was one of LIV’s strongest critics, saying numerous times how much he “hates” what LIV has done to the game of golf. He even said once it would be “hard to stomach” playing in the same tournament as the LIV defectors who left the PGA Tour.

Personally, I never blamed those golfers who took the hundreds of millions of dollars of guaranteed LIV money, but I admire Rory a lot more for NOT taking LIV’s money. And, believe me, he could have commanded more LIV dollars than anybody except for maybe Tiger himself. Let’s face it, if LIV could have recruited the popular and charismatic Rory into its ranks, it would have brought the PGA Tour to its knees.

Nobody knows exactly what Jon Rahm recently received to make the jump to LIV, but let’s just guesstimate that he got $300 million. Well, if Rahm’s worth $300 million, Rory’s worth twice that.

And don’t think the PGA Tour isn’t nervous about Rory softening his stance on LIV in recent months, saying on the popular United Kingdom “Stick to Football” podcast that he has been too “judgmental” of LIV golfers.

“I think what LIV has done, it’s exposed the flaws in the system of golf,” Rory said. “… I think what LIV and the Saudis have exposed is that you’re asking for millions of dollars to sponsor these events, and you’re not able to guarantee that the players are going to show up. I can’t believe the PGA Tour has done so well for so long. … I wouldn’t say I’ve lost the fight against LIV, but I’ve just accepted the fact that this is part of our sport now.”

Not exactly what the PGA Tour wants to hear, but Rory doesn’t care.

Remember what he said Saturday when I asked him why he finds it necessary to speak up instead of stand down:

“Why wouldn’t I speak my mind? You ask me my opinion and I give it to you. I’m not going to stand up here and lie to you.”

Amen, brother.

Keep telling it like it is.

Keep bulldozing instead of tiptoeing.

Keep roaring, Rory.

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