Rory McIlroy says fight between PGA Tour, LIV Golf has sport 'ripping itself apart'

Rory McIlroy on Wednesday said golf is «ripping itself apart» as tensions between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf continue to divide the sport.

McIlroy, a 22-time winner on the PGA Tour, said the divide comes at the detriment of players on both sides.

«I don't want a fractured game,» McIlroy told reporters Wednesday at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship." I never have. You look at some other sports and what's happened and the game of golf is ripping itself apart right now.

«It's no good for the guys on, you know, this side or the sort of traditional system and it's no good for the guys on the other side, either. It's no good for anyone. There is a time and a place for it. I just think right now, with where everything is, it's probably not the right time.»

Things are even starting to heat up in court, as multiple golfers challenged bans they had received from other tours for participating in a LIV event.

«I've always said I think there is a time and a place where everyone that's involved here should sit down and try to work together,» McIlroy said. «It's very hard for that to happen right now when there's two lawsuits going on.»

In an interview with the BBC, McIlroy said it was up to players who had joined the breakaway LIV series to help resolve the tensions between the two sides.

«I would just say the ball is in their court,» McIlroy said. «If they want to come to the table and try to play nicely within the sandbox that's already created, the opportunity is there.

»I've probably said a few things that are maybe too inflammatory at times, but it just comes from the heart and how much I hate what this is doing to the game. If we can send rockets to the moon and bring them back again and have them land on their