Ex-LIV golfer shares Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy's friendly photo from the past

Spanish golfer Pablo Larrazábal recently shared a nostalgic photograph on X. It captured a moment between Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy during the Ryder Cup. The picture highlights a friendly pose between the two golfers, given their previously strained relationship due to the LIV Golf controversy.

Larrazabal shared this post on April 15, and it got viewed by over 2.5k people at the time of writing. He captioned it:

"That day in 2014 that there were 2 green jackets and a champion seating together... they are inside the top 3 of my favourite runner ups...😉😉 @PhilMickelson #Rory"

In early 2024, McIlroy publicly said that he had been judgmental toward LIV golf players, regretting his earlier stand. Answering that, Mickelson stated in an X post (via Sports Illustrated):

"It's time for me and others to let go of our hostilities and work towards a positive future."

Phil Mickelson joined LIV Golf in 2022. He missed the cut with a +5 score at the Masters tournament. Earlier this year, Mickelson secured a third-place finish in the LIV Golf Hong Kong event. He also contributed to a third-place team result with the HyFlyers GC. With that, let's look at Rory McIlroy's recent performances, especially at the Masters 2025.

---

Rory McIlroy's 2025 Masters victory: Completing career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy's performance at the Masters was nothing short of historic. Augusta National Golf Club saw McIlroy clinch his first green jacket and complete his career Grand Slam. With a final score of 277, he won over Justin Rose in a one-hole playoff. He became the sixth player in golf history and the first European to achieve the career Grand Slam.

McIlroy kicked off the final round starting with a double bogey on the first hole. He bounced back with a birdie on the 17th to tie Rose, who surged with a 66 in the final round. In the playoff, McIlroy won by hitting a birdie on the first hole, while Rose missed his attempt.

McIlroy began the 2025 season by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a score of -21, defeating Shane Lowry by two shots. In March, he also secured his second Players Championship, winning in a three-hole aggregate playoff against J. J. Spaun after the two of them finished at 12-under-par 276.

Meanwhile, McIlroy earned a whopping $4.2 million after winning the Masters. Here's the list of Rory McIlroy's earnings throughout all his starts at the Masters:

• 2009 - T20 ($71,400)
• 2010 - MISSED CUT ($10,000)
• 2011 - T15 ($128,000)
• 2012 - T40 ($32,000)
• 2013 - T25 ($56,040)
• 2014 - T8 ($234,000)
• 2015 - 4 ($480,000)
• 2016 - T10 ($230,000)
• 2017 - T7 ($354,750)
• 2018 - T5 ($386,375)
• 2019 - T21 ($107,956)
• 2020 - T5 ($437,000)
• 2021 - MISSED CUT ($10,000)
• 2022 - 2 ($1,620,000)
• 2023 - MISSED CUT ($10,000)
• 2024 - T22 ($175,500)
• 2025 - WIN ($4,200,000)