Rory McIlroy says he has “changed his tune” on LIV Golf and believes players should not be punished if they return to play on the PGA Tour.
The four-time major champion has been one of the most vocal critics of the Saudi-backed LIV series.
In 2022, McIlroy said players who had joined LIV Golf should not be allowed to compete on other tours.
“I think life is about choices. Guys made the choice to go play at LIV, guys made the choice to stay here,” he said.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Northern Irishman, 34, added: “I think it’s difficult to punish people. I don’t think there should be any punishment.
“If people are still eligible for this tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try to do something, let them come back.
“Obviously I’ve changed my mind about that because I see where golf is at and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and a diminished LIV Tour or whatever is bad for both parts.”
Tyrrell Hatton, McIlroy’s Ryder Cup-winning teammate, is the latest high-profile golfer to sign up for LIV Golf and will make his debut at this week’s season-opening event in Mexico.
The Englishman’s deal with LIV is said to be worth around £50million., external – more than double what Hatton, 32, has earned on the PGA Tour during his career.
“I had a long conversation with Tyrrell on Sunday and I completely understood where he was coming from,” McIlroy said.
“It got to the point where they negotiated and came to a place that he was comfortable with and he has to do what he feels is right for him. I’m not going to stop anyone from making money and if what he considers life -change money.”
Earlier in January, McIlroy said he would be willing to play in a LIV Golf-backed tournament if the controversial tour was more like the Indian Premier Cricket League – a softened stance which LIV chief executive Greg Norman said , was an “important turning point” for the sport.
Negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which funds LIV Golf, over a possible merger continue in 2024 after failing to reach an agreement in late 2023.