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Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy said it’s his opinion that the upstart Saudi-backed Super Golf League is “dead in the water.”

Further, McIlroy called Phil Mickelson’s support of the SGL “egotistical and ignorant,” among other adjectives.



McIlroy made the comments Sunday in the aftermath of Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson pledging their allegiance to the PGA Tour. Johnson released a statement through the Tour while DeChambeau posted his own to Twitter.

Their pledges followed those of Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa earlier in the week and a host of others prior to that.

“Who’s left? Who’s left to go? I mean, there’s no one. It’s dead in the water in my opinion. Yeah, I just can’t see any reason why anyone would go,” McIlroy said Sunday after the final round of The Genesis Invitational in California.

McIlroy finished T10.

DeChambeau was rumored to have a $150 million offer from the SGL to jump tours.

“No one really knew where Bryson stood,” McIlroy said. “I was really glad to see DJ and Bryson put out those statements this week. We all want to play against the best players in the world and they’re certainly two of the best players in the world and it’s nice to know that they’re committed to playing here and committed to making this the best tour in the world.”

Phil Mickelson Under Fire

McIlroy’s strongest comments were reserved for Mickelson, who told author Alan Shipnuck for an upcoming book that he was helping the organizers of the SGL to help gain leverage against the Tour.

“I don’t want to kick someone while he’s down obviously, but I thought they were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant,” McIlroy said of Mickelson’s comments. “It was just very surprising and disappointing, sad. I’m sure he’s sitting at home sort of rethinking his position and where he goes from here.”

Rory McIlroy on Phil Mickelson’s comments:

“I don’t want to kick someone while he’s down obviously, but I thought they were naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant.”

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) February 20, 2022

McIlroy said the SGL’s ultimate downfall was failing to get the blessing from the one player who still matters the most.

“The epicenter of the professional world still revolves around Tiger, he is the epicenter,” McIlroy said. “Like who knows when he’s going to play again, but if they don’t have his blessing even, it’s got no chance. Then roll in Jon Rahm, the best player in the world, Collin Morikawa, No. 2, me who’s been up there for a while, everyone else, I mean, yeah.”

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)