"He’s passionately defended his turf" - Rory McIlroy's positive outlook on golf's future earns praise from friend Graeme 'G-Mac' McDowell

Rory McIlroy has been through a lot in the last several months. With the rise of LIV Golf, the allure of its financial bonuses, and the rivalry formed with the PGA Tour, McIlroy has been arguably at the center of it.

Despite it all, he believes the future of golf is in good hands. He's not all that pleased with LIV Golf, but he believes the future is bright. That outlook has inspired Graeme McDowell.

McDowell said (via Belfast Telegraph):

“I’ve spoken to various players. I’ve spoken to Rory a little bit about it. Obviously, he’s passionately defended his turf the last 12 months with the PGA Tour. He has been an incredible spokesman for them and played unbelievably well through this journey."

He continued lavishing praise on McIlroy:

“I can’t believe how much this kid has had on his shoulders from a business and emotion point of view and then proceeded to play some of the most incredible golf of his career. He seemed positive about where the schedule could get to. Obviously, he didn’t know either but he had some framework — that seems to be the buzzword right now — of what it’s all going to look like.”

McIlroy has been the leader of the Tour during all of this. He's been outspoken against the rise of LIV and an advocate for his tour and its players. That has taken a toll, but McIlroy hasn't slowed down his game for it. He's still searching for another major win, but it's been a pretty good year for him.

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Graeme McDowell is proud of what Rory McIlroy has done

It's no secret that a lot of the pressures have gotten to Rory McIlroy. For him, this was a very stressful time. It never seemed to hurt his play, which is something McDowell noticed. 'G-Mac' said (via Belfast Telegraph):

“There has to be an emotional drain to what Rory’s gone through the last 18 months, there’s no doubt about that. I watched him at the weekend [at The Open]. Conditions were tough but is everything off the golf course taking a toll on Rory? Who knows? It would be impossible for that not to take some sort of toll on him but has that affected his golf? Who knows?”

Rory McIlroy has been the PGA Tour's leader

He believes McIlroy is in good shape going forward since he knows that his voice will be heard:

“To me, they have to dream up the perfect ideal schedule and find out if the best players in the world can make this happen because if they can’t we’re obviously barking up the wrong tree. They’re the key. What the best players want is inevitably going to shape this and mould this thing and the rest of the puzzle pieces will fit in around them."

"Thankfully I think the game wins and thankfully I think the fans win, and you get a TV package that is compelling and interesting to watch.”

All in all, the game of golf appears to be in good hands and Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell seem to believe that.