Testy McIlroy backs players' rights to take Saudi cash

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy believes legal action may be the only way to solve golf’s problem with a potential Saudi-backed World Tour.

Speaking ahead of the Hero World Challenge, where he admitted he “lost my head” and ended up ripping his shirt at the recent DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the Holywood star believes the Tours should not refuse players permission to tee it up in February’s Saudi International.

Some 25 world stars, including Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell, have asked for releases to play under contract in the $5 million event on Asian Tour - a circuit now backed by the Saudi state as they bid to create a rival circuit.

“I think we're independent contractors and we should be able to play where we want to play,” McIlroy said in the Bahamas, where he tees it up looking for his third win of a year that brought more Major disappointment as well as clarity with his swing.

“My personal choice is not to do that, but obviously a lot of players are doing that and I think it's fair to let them do that.”

Asked about the possibility of legal challenges should the main tours deny players releases, he said that might have to happen.

“I think the professional game needs to get to a point where we as professionals need to know where we stand,” said McIlroy who had previously described the Saudi plans as a “cash grab”.

“Are we actually independent contractors? Are we employed by a certain entity? There's a lot of grey area in that and that's what needs to be sorted out.”

McIlroy ripped his shirt in anger after an unlucky ricochet off the flagstick at the 15th in the final round of the DP World Tour Championship led to the first of three bogeys in his last four holes and an eventual six place finish behind Collin Morikawa, who can briefly go to world No 1 this week with a win.

“What I was angry about was how I reacted to the bad break, not the bad break or the fact I didn't win the golf tournament because Collin played great,” said McIlroy, who became irked later when asked a third question about his shirt incident.

“This f**king ripped shirt, Jesus,” he growled.

As for his season, he’s playing Tiger Woods’ season-ending event for the first time since 2013 to maintain momentum after rediscovering his game after the Ryder Cup.

“I'm much more confident,” he said. “I’m more sure of what I'm doing. I guess it's a bit like we sort of talk about like Manchester United over the last few games have looked like they've been going out playing and not really having a strategy or a philosophy of how they want to play.

“That sort of felt like that was me for a few months of this season. Now I feel like I've regained like what my philosophy is and the golf that I want to play.

“So it was just getting back to being really clear about that and I think that's really helped my confidence.”

While he contended with nine holes to go in the US Open, he missed the cut in the Masters and finished outside the top 40 in the PGA Championship and The Open but he remains confident he will win more Majors despite his seven-year drought.

“Yeah, look, it's been a while, and since winning my last major I've done everything but win a major,” he said. “If I keep playing the way I'm playing, I just keep giving myself chances, it will eventually happen again.”

As for Woods’ decision to play a Ben Hogan post-accident style schedule going forward, he was supportive and unsurprised.

“I don't feel like he's played full time on the PGA Tour since 2013 really, so I mean it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone to hear that,” McIlroy said.

“He's been through injuries and he's been through the wars. He's put his body through a lot. I think if I were him at this point, I'd have no ambition to play a full-time schedule.

“You play the events you want to play, whatever gets your juices flowing. For him, that's the majors and maybe a couple other events a year and that's it. It's smart to do that…it will just be nice to see him back on the golf course again whenever that is.”