Rory McIlroy blasts 'duplicitous' players over LIV Golf move

Rory McIlroy has described players who have signed up for LIV Golf as “duplicitous” after Brooks Koepka became the latest high-profile name to join the new series.

Four-time major champion Koepka, 32, this week switched from the PGA Tour to the Saudi Arabia-backed enterprise, following the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau. Koepka’s brother, Chase, also played LIV’s opening event at Centurion Club earlier this month.

Koepka, the current world No 19, will debut in Portland, Oregon, next week where he will compete in the series' second 54-hole, 48-man tournament for a share of $25 million in prize money. As a result, he will be suspended from competing on the PGA Tour.

Speaking late on Wednesday ahead of this week’s Travellers’ Championship, McIlroy, a staunch advocate of the PGA Tour, was asked if he was surprised by the American's decision.

“Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he said previously,” the world No 2 said. “I think that’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another and I don’t understand.

“I don’t know if that’s for legal reasons or if they can’t - I have no idea - but it’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing. In public and in private.”

At last week’s US Open, Koepka grew irritated at a line of questioning that focused on LIV Golf, complaining that reporters were casting a “black cloud” over the season’s third major.

LIV Golf confirmed on Wednesday that Koepka had switched to their tour, with his first appearance to come at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club from June 30-July 2.