Rory McIlroy Was Told To 'F— Off' by Another PGA Tour Player During Tense Meeting With Commissioner

The players-only meeting on Tuesday afternoon was understandably tense with commissioner Jay Monahan.

Tuesday was a monumental day in professional golf as the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia agreed to come together to form a new worldwide commercial golf entity.

The PIF, which is the funding source for the LIV Golf endeavor, will bring LIV together with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour as part of the new agreement.

The news came seemingly out of nowhere and shocked the golf world. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan kept his circle close as he negotiated the agreement with the other two entities, and as a result, did not inform any current PGA Tour players of the impending merger. Players found out the news on social media, and details on the agreement (as limited as they may be at the moment) were discussed officially in a players-only meeting with Monahan. 

In that meeting, which was understandably tense as players were blindsided by the news, Grayson Murray, the 227th-ranked player in the world, shouted for Monahan to resign from his post as PGA Tour commissioner.

“We don’t trust you, Jay! You lied to our face,” Murray reportedly shouted at Monahan, according to The Telegraph. In response, Rory McIlroy told Murray, “Just play better, Grayson.”

Murray, taken aback by McIlroy’s comment, told him to “f— off.”

Golf Channel first reported the tense exchange between McIlroy, Murray and Monahan, and was confirmed by The Telegraph.

Tour player Wesley Bryan, who was also in the meeting, confirmed the exchange but tweeted that there was no bad blood between McIlroy and Murray.

“Confirmed,” Bryan tweeted in response to the report of McIlroy telling Murray to play better. “They were cordial and pleasant post meeting. We chatted as a group of players and we were laughing about the comment. No beef or hard feelings either way.”

McIlroy served as the PGA Tour’s figurehead in the year-long fight against LIV Golf, only to go notably silent on the topic in recent weeks as he turned his focus back to golf. 

Although McIlroy reportedly did not know about the impending agreement between the three entities, his decision to turn back to golf may have been a blessing in disguise given the PGA Tour’s decision to reverse course and come together with the PIF.