Outspoken Rory McIlroy suddenly quiet on the topic of LIV Golf - ESPN

ROCHESTER, New York — No one has been a more outspoken proponent of the PGA Tour than Rory McIlroy during its ongoing battle with the LIV Golf League.

But it seems that McIlroy, a four-time major champion, is done talking about LIV Golf.

During a news conference ahead of this week's PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club on Tuesday, McIlroy was asked by a reporter to look into his crystal ball to project where professional men's golf will be in three years.

«I don't have a crystal ball,» McIlroy said.

«You don't want to speculate?» the reporter asked McIlroy.

«No,» McIlroy said.

Later during the news conference, a different reporter asked McIlroy if it was going to be a conscious thing for him to sidestep the LIV Golf-PGA Tour narrative going forward.

«Yeah,» McIlroy said.

After missing the cut at the Masters, a tournament McIlroy needs to win to complete the career grand slam, he skipped the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the next week. It was the second time he missed a designated event this season; he also did not play in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii in January.

Under the PGA Tour's new guidelines, a player is only allowed to skip one designated event. Missing a second tournament results in a player losing 25% of his Player Impact Program bonus.

Before the Wells Fargo Championship two weeks ago, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed that McIlroy, who finished second behind Tiger Woods in the PIP race last season, would forfeit $3 million of his $12 million bonus.

«When we made the commitment to this schedule with the Player Impact Program, we adjusted for one opt-out,» Monahan said. «Then for any second opt-out, you forfeit the 25%, unless there was a medical issue. Based