Amanda Balionis weighs in on Rory McIlroy's explosive ‘shifting tune’ to LIV Golf

Rory McIlroy, once a vocal critic of LIV Golf, had previously positioned the league as the villain in the sport's civil war. But his perspective has somewhat softened. From being one of LIV Golf's most vocal opponents, he now considers its financial influence on the sport. He believes the division between the leagues has gone on for too long and that the players need to move on.

The ongoing debate between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has taken a turn in recent weeks, with CBS reporter Amanda Balionis shedding light on McIlroy and others' evolving stance. This is what Balionis highlighted in Netflix's Full Swing season 3, episode 3 (don't call it a comeback).

"I think a lot of the players' tunes have shifted when you talk about LIV. If you would've asked players a number of years ago, Rory McIlroy obviously being kind of the spokesperson for this, there was a good versus evil storyline happening here." [27:10]

McIlroy's softened stance gained traction in late 2023 after Jon Rahm, his European Ryder Cup teammate, accepted a big-money deal to join LIV Golf. Looking ahead, Balionis added to her statement:

"I think a lot of players started to understand that at some point, both entities are going to have to find a way to work together if we are going to keep the quality of the game where it should be." [28:01]

Balionis recently also took to Instagram to share some behind-the-scenes footage from Full Swing Season 3. The Netflix documentary, released in 2023, revolves around the lives of several professional golfers.

Season 3 features the likes of Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, Ludvig Aberg, Scottie Scheffler, and Rory McIlroy. During her appearances on the season, Balionis discussed Scheffler's Masters victory, as well as the ongoing rivalry between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. Plus, McIlroy also shared his thoughts on the matter.

---

Rory McIlroy talked about his softened stance amid ongoing LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger talks

PGA: The Genesis Invitational - Final Round - Source: Imagn

During episode three of the latest season of Full Swing, Rory McIlroy also clarified his stance on the rivalry between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. Contrary to his previous vision, the Northern Irishman said:

"I've basically went through the last two years with this altruistic approach. I've sort of looked at the world in the way I've wanted to see it. But I think if I can put myself in a fan's shoes, that's sort of where my attitude towards all of this has sort of changed or has softened." [27:24]

McIlroy also spoke about his marriage and his public split from wife Erica Stoll. In the episode, Through Thick and Thin, he shared his struggles to balance his personal and professional life. In May 2024, McIlroy announced his separation from Stoll after 12 years of marriage.

However, just days before the PGA Championship, the couple reconciled and halted the divorce proceedings.