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Rory McIlroy opens up about friendships strained by the LIV Golf split

Rory McIlroy has reflected on how the LIV Golf split has reshaped his relationships within the sport, revealing that some friendships have faded due to the division. In a 2026 interview at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi, McIlroy acknowledged that while he doesn’t blame players for their choices, the lack of shared tournaments and geographic separation has made it harder to maintain close ties.

He noted that his bond with former Ryder Cup teammates—including Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Sergio Garcia—has weakened significantly, despite their history of competing together on European teams. McIlroy even admitted in 2022 that he felt betrayed by the defections, a sentiment he described as unprecedented in his life, given the deep camaraderie forged during Ryder Cup weeks, where he partnered with Poulter six times and Garcia three times at Gleneagles in 2014 and Paris in 2018.

The split also strained his connection with Garcia, whom he had stood beside as a groomsman at his 2017 wedding, highlighting how the breakaway league’s arrival redrew the social landscape of professional golf.

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