Rory McIlroy admits uncomfortable truth about LIV Golf, unloads on James Hahn

Rory McIlroy has been the most vocal champion of the PGA Tour amid the LIV Golf drama, but he had an honest, frank take on the new tour and James Hahn.

Since LIV Golf became a reality, Rory McIlroy has been arguably the strongest voice in the room in support of the PGA Tour. He’s also been instrumental in helping to bring about changes to help the PGA Tour keep the rest of its top players. Most recently, it was announced that there will be limited-field, no-cut events in the 2024 season that will be some of the designated events with elevated purses.

This has been controversial to some but, with the explanation from Rory and other top players, it makes sense as a way to reward the best players on the PGA Tour while also still offering chances for other players to perform well and play their way into these events. That hasn’t stopped all criticism, but it makes sense.

Yet, at THE PLAYERS Championship this week, McIlroy couldn’t escape being asked about this often. And in his answers, he had some shockingly frank admissions about LIV Golf’s impact and biting criticism of another PGA Tour pro, James Hahn.

Rory McIlroy admits that LIV Golf has helped PGA Tour, every pro golfer

Talking with the media early in the week at TPC Sawgrass, McIlroy was asked about LIV Golf and if it has benefitted the PGA Tour at all. Despite his longstanding firm belief in the PGA Tour, McIlroy made a strong, honest admission about the Saudi-backed league that has taken many players in the past year that was quite shocking.

“The emergence of LIV has benefited everyone that plays professional golf,” McIlroy said.

“This has caused a ton of innovation at the PGA Tour, and what was an antiquated system has been revamped to mirror where we’re at in the world,” he continued.

He’s not wrong, though. The changes with designated events, elevated purses, and making sure the top players play more often and are compensated more fairly may not happen in the ways that it has if not for the emergence of competition from LIV Golf. That’s something that everyone can benefit from moving forward, even if LIV hasn’t necessarily been a joy to deal with.

Rory McIlroy blasts James Hahn for missing players meeting

On that same note, though, one of the most vocal critics of the PGA Tour changes has been 41-year-old pro James Hahn. He’s criticized the Tour for what he believes are changes to prop up the top and most popular players while diminishing the returns and opportunities for golf’s middle class in terms of talent and popularity.

Yet, when Rory and other top pros had a meeting this week to explain the new changes coming to the PGA Tour beyond this year, Hahn did not attend. That didn’t sit right with McIlroy and he let loose on the 41-year-old because of that.

“Like, you say all this s— and you’re not even in the meeting?” McIlroy said. “If you want to get informed and be a part of the process — the fact that he wasn’t even in the room was a slap in the face to everyone there.”

These are strong words, but rightfully so. It’s one thing to be a critic about not being heard on the PGA Tour. It’s another entirely to not even attempt to talk or, more importantly, listen to the rationale behind changes. That’s essentially what Hahn is doing here, which makes some of his complaints come off as a bit hollow.

One thing that’s for sure, though, is that candid Rory McIlroy continues to be one of the best things in golf.

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