On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy appeared to tease a potential move to LIV Golf while speaking to the media.

Last week, Rory’s former agent Chubby Chandler told Bunkered that he wouldn’t be surprised to see McIlroy go to LIV for somewhere in the $950 million neighborhood.

“If you were being cynical, you might say he’s going to sign for about £750 million [around $950 million] in a month’s time with LIV because he’s paving the way that LIV’s okay now, whereas it wasn’t,” Chandler had said. “Who knows? He doesn’t need £750 million but it’s odd what he’s done and I’m sure it’s a possibility. If he does it or not, I don’t know, but if [Jon] Rahm can do it, most guys can do it.”

When asked what he thought of Chandler’s comments, the Northern Irishman played along.

“I think he’s writing a book, so there is that. I spoke to Chubby, I might have seen him in the Middle East at the start of the year.

“Never know. He might know a few things. Who knows?”

Rory addresses the LIV rumour pic.twitter.com/1jwQSb7r9f

— Rory Tracker (@RoryTrackr) February 28, 2024

It’s likely that Rory was having a bit of fun with the media allowing the rumor to continue to swirl, but LIV fans on X certainly took the comments as a clear sign that a move to LIV could one day be on the cards for McIlroy.

The 34-year-old will tee it up on Thursday at PGA National for the Cognizant Classic at the Palm Beaches.

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While speaking with the media in his pre-tournament press conference for the Cognizant Classic, Rickie Fowler speculated that there may currently be too much golf on television, with the product needing to improve.

“We’ve got to figure out a better way to entertain our fans and it come across better on TV”.

The former PLAYERS champion wondered aloud whether fans need a longer off-season for golf to get excited for it to start back up again the following season.

“If the season is kind of where it’s at with the January to August, is there ways to do different things in the fall,” Fowler said.

“We kind of have to create the want for golf. Right now, you can basically watch golf every week of the year for the most part. There’s not really an off-season.

“I feel like with other sports, people can’t wait for football preseason to start up, and that’s just preseason. The games don’t really matter a whole lot.

“Something along those lines to create a little bit more of a demand for golf because depending on how you want to talk about it, is the product potentially diluted with how much golf is available?”

When asked if he thinks there needs to be format changes, Fowler said he still thinks the events should be 72 holes with a cut.

“I think within reason [there could be format changes], but at the same time, it’s also a very traditional sport with traditional tournaments, 72 holes, cut going into the weekend.”

Rickie said he trusts that the Strategic Sports Group (SSG) will figure out a way to improve the product for fans going forward.

“I feel like ultimately we’re in the entertainment business, and we’ve got to figure out a better way to entertain our fans and it come across better on TV.

“How we do that, I don’t exactly know, but like I said, I feel like with the people that are involved, I definitely trust the guys.

“I feel like the guys – especially since they’re not just golf guys, I think they have enormous respect for the game of golf, but also they come from a lot of different avenues in sports and business, and I feel like they can help us kind of give direction on where we can or need to go.”

Fowler will tee it up in the Cognizant Classic on Thursday at PGA National.

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While speaking with Australian Golf Digest, Talor Gooch made the point that the Masters will have an “asterisk” if more LIV players aren’t in the field.

“If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his [Career] Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, there’s just going to be an asterisk. It’s just the reality. I think everybody wins whenever the majors figure out a way to get the best players in the world there.”

The quote has made the rounds on social media, with plenty of people now taking shots at last year’s individual LIV Golf champion.

Writer Joel Beall was first in line, sharing a story about the Oklahoma State product wearing shorts to Augusta National.

Just remembered Talor Gooch showed up to Augusta National for Masters practice in shorts before being told, Buddy, this is Augusta National pic.twitter.com/1Yei7A9vn1

— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) February 27, 2024

Dan Rapaport shared that he believes Gooch is referring to himself who should be in the Masters field, which Gooch responded to.

If that's how I felt I would've said player not players*** Burmy, Louis, Mito, Carlos, HV, Kokrak, Leish, Abe etc etc etc.
Winning a major w/out some of the best in the world, while no less of an accomplishment, it is noteworthy. Fans/ majors/players-who benefits from not adding

— Talor Gooch (@TalorGooch) February 27, 2024

a path to majors through LIV? What if Puig and Surratt finish top10 and beat cam brooks Bryson this season, do fans benefit from not seeing them in majors? Lots of things the majors need to resolve for the fans/players. If you wanna know what I really mean^ Im always here to chat

— Talor Gooch (@TalorGooch) February 27, 2024

Alan Shipnuck, the author of “LIV and Let Die”, called Gooch “the unwitting king of content”.

What Talor Gooch should be most bitter about is not being eligible for the PIP. He is the unwitting king of content – every time he opens his mouth Twitter erupts!

— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) February 27, 2024

Kevin Casey on X shared that someone changed Gooch’s Wikipedia page to reflect an asterisk.

Whoever did this to Talor Gooch's Wikipedia page, I can't. ? pic.twitter.com/W2QnsC5kKe

— Kevin Casey (@KevinCaseyGC) February 27, 2024

Gooch will tee it up this week at LIV Golf Jeddah on Friday.

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