Rory McIlroy fires timely riposte after PGA Tour blasted for changes

With the debate raging over the PGA Tour caving into the demands of the elite, Rory McIlroy yet again restated his credentials to be worthy of special treatment by hurtling his way into contention for a second Arnold Palmer Invitational title.

A bogey-free 68 took McIlroy to six-under and three off the lead at Bay Hill held by American Kurt Kitayama.

This is such a well-timed display by the Northern Irishman and not just because the Masters is only four weeks away.

McIlroy has been cast as front and centre of the dramatic overhaul announced by the PGA Tour this week, that will see as many as ten $20million events being contested by only 70-78 players with no cut.

The 2024 schedule has inevitably been accused of instigating a two-tier circuit, with James Hahn, who was a player director until last year, producing a ferocious tirade.

'It's very, very hypocritical'

“I mean, I hate them. I’m gonna say exactly what 99.99 per cent of fans said about players leaving for the LIV Tour. If our players just said, ‘We’re doing this for the money,’ I would have a lot more respect for them,” two-time PGA Tour winner Hahn told Golf Week.

“But how they’re covering up what they’re doing and trying to make it a thing about sponsors and fans and saving opposite-field events. I think that’s all BS.

“All the big names that are talking about this ‘new product,’ if you just came out and said, ‘Hey, we’re doing this for the money,’ they want more guaranteed money and this is another way to funnel more money to the top players in the world, I’d have a lot more respect for them.

“Right now, they’re just covering their a-- and saying everything that the PGA Tour basically has trained them to say, have taught them to say and try to make it not about money when everyone knows 100 per cent it’s about more guaranteed money being funnelled to the top players in the world. We’ve been talking about money for the last two years and for them not to say that that’s not the No. 1 reason why they’re making these changes —it’s very, very hypocritical.”