Rory McIlroy says PGA Tour players who joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series took the 'easy way out'

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The six-time major champion said he was disappointed that some PGA Tour players took the easy way out and joined the rival LIV Golf Invitation Series.

At a news conference ahead of this week's U.S. Open at The Country Club, he said that he understands why aging players were tempted by millions of dollars in signing bonuses from LIV Golf but that he believes younger ones who left made a shortsighted decision.

I'm aware. Many of these guys are in their 40's. Phil's age was early 50s. Everyone in this room would tell themselves that their best days are behind them. I want to believe that my best days are still ahead of me, and that's why I don't understand for the guys that are the same age as me. That is where you are taking the easy way out.

Even though he became golf's oldest major champion at the age of 50, and he didn't like how Lefty handled his defection to LIV Golf, he didn't lose his respect for Lefty as a player.

"He won a major championship 13 months ago, one of the crowning achievements of his career and one of the most impressive achievements in the history of the game of golf." I have great respect for Phil. I have been disappointed with how he has handled things, but I think he has learned from that, because he has come back and apologized for how he has handled things.

After missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in January, Phil left the United States to play in the U.S. Open. The players who competed in London last week have been suspended by the tour.

I want to teach Phil how to do things. The golfer said, "I said." He's had a great career. He's his own person. He is new to the field. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed that he's taken the route that he's taken. I still like him very much.

Several players who had previously pledged their loyalty to the PGA Tour have changed their minds. After many of golf's top players said they weren't leaving the PGA Tour, LIV Golf looked dead in the water.

The four-time major champion said he took a lot of players' statements at face value. I think that's what I messed up. The statements that were put out were made by people who were committed to the tour. I took them because people went back on that. I was wrong to take them at their word.

The families and friends of those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks would be upset that Phil and other players are accepting hundreds of millions of dollars in signing bonuses.

15 of the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.

"Yes, I do," said the golfer. I'm sure not every Saudi Arabian is a bad person because of everything that's happening with the LIV Golf tour. We are talking about this in a general way. There are good people in the Middle East, but there are also bad people. Some people from that part of the world did horrible things.

He understands why 9/11 survivors and families of victims are upset, as he said it was difficult to separate sports from politics.

"It's a very confusing world right now," he stated. I can't imagine how those families would feel. It's a sad thing that people have died on 9/11. I empathise with those families and understand their issues.

When asked if he was involved in sportswashing for the Saudis, he stopped short of saying so.

I don't think they are involved in it. They have the choice to play where they want to play. My dad once told me, "once you make your bed, you lie in it." They have to live with that and make their own decisions.

He doesn't seem to want to join them.

In my opinion, it's the right thing to do, according to the golfer. The creation of the PGA Tour was done by the likes of Arnold Palmer. I don't like to see the hard work that the players have put in come out to be nothing.