The LIV-PGA Tour merger updates have created a huge stir in the golf world! Not only are some of the players left frustrated with the constant delay of the agreement, but some relationships are at stake too! One such is between the Tour stars Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
Woods is a PGA Tour Members Council member. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, is a member of the Transaction Committee. The World No. 3 was formerly on the Council, but then left because things got ‘pretty complicated and pretty messy’. Rors is now among those players who want the merger to come into play sooner rather than later. He hates the current chasm that golf has. And of course, Woods being on the Council is one of the few who can make that happen. But it hasn’t. So has that soured that relationship over the last few months?
Well, back in May, reports indicated that Woods and McIlroy were at odds due to their merger stances. But the Northern Irishman was quick to refute those. “I think friends can have disagreements or not see eye to eye on things. I think that’s fine,” he said boldly. Those words made it clear that the bond they share is a deep one. And the below scenarios tell us exactly how deep, for the pair have each other’s back!
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- Tiger Woods helps Rory McIlroy with his golf swing
If you remember, last season Rory McIlroy was not having as good a year as he did in 2024. After missed cuts at The Players and the Masters he wanted to get back to his best form ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship. Thus, turned to Mr. T. Woods was spotted at McIlroy’s house helping him turn his game around. And his practice session did indeed turn out to be fruitful. The lessons from the 15-time major winner helped McIlroy bag a T7 at the PGA Championship.
via Reuters
Golf – 150th Open Championship – St Andrews, Scotland, Britain – July 11, 2022 Tiger Woods of the U.S. and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy of Team Woods during the Celebration of Champions four hole tournament REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
- Tiger Woods reached out to Rory McIlroy amid Ryder Cup banter
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Tiger Woods was among the only people who reached out to Rory McIlroy after he had a spat with Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark at the 2023 Ryder Cup. The Northern Irishman was paired up with Matt Fitzpatrick, and they lost the match on the 18th hole. At the hole, however, things got a little heated with Joe LaCava, who was in Cantlay’s bag. According to NUCLR Golf, things got so out of hand, in fact, that McIlroy had to be held back by his wife and Shane Lowry after the event. Amid that tension too, Woods was there for him. When he went back to the locker room, Rory had “three texts and two missed calls” from the golf legend to check in on him.
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- Woods consoled McIlroy after the US Open
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Tiger Woods was again among the very few people who reached out to Rory McIlroy after he lost the US Open by just one stroke to Bryson DeChambeau earlier this year. Interestingly, McIlroy had no idea that Woods had reached out to him, until The Open in July. “I changed my number two days after the U.S. Open, so I didn’t get it [Woods’s call/text] until he told me about it today,” he said at the post-round presser after the practice round at Royal Troon. McIlroy, of course, then and there thanked Woods, but the incident itself shows that the 82-time PGA Tour Champ had Rory’s back come what may.
It’s unlikely that any trouble with the merger or anything else, for that matter, could break their bond. Do you agree?
