"He said, 'I'm so sick of hearing how he’s a hero who is saving golf'" - Alan Shipnuck recounts in new book how former Ryder Cup teammate blasted Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy had his space in Alan Shipnuck's latest book "LIV and Let Die." The passion the Northern Irishman inspires among LIV Golf supporters is well known, and the book reflects them crystal clear.

Alan Shipnuck also recounted, however, the uncharitable words of a former Ryder Cup teammate about Rory McIlroy. The (unnamed) source claimed that McIlroy has benefited financially from the PGA Tour, which is why the Northern Irishman has opposed LIV Golf in the strongest terms.

This was part of what the anonymous source said about Rory McIlroy (via Today's Golfer):

"I'm so sick of hearing about how he’s some kind of hero who is saving golf. He’s bought and paid for like everybody else, it’s just that his money is coming from the other side. Did you know that when Whoop [the personal fitness device] wanted to do a deal with the PGA Tour, the Tour insisted that Rory be one of the endorsers? He was given a $10 million equity stake that is now worth $200 million.

"How do you think he got his own deal with NBC [in Golf- Pass+, a $99 annual subscription that delivers exclusive McIlroy-centric content]? The Tour brokered that, too. The Tour is so reliant on Rory now they’ve given him his own league [the TGL], even though it will compete with the Tour for viewers and advertisers.

"Rory’s fighting so hard for the Tour because he wants to preserve his revenue streams, not because he cares about the Tour itself. That he is being held up as some kind of savior on Twitter and by all the fanboys with their shitty podcasts tells you how little people really understand what’s going on."

The other end of the opinion spectrum on Rory McIlroy

Alan Shipnuck did not fail to outline, in his book, the other opinions opposed to the one that accused Rory McIlroy of "wanting to preserve his revenue streams." Several players spoke about the Northern Irishman's work both on and off the course, and agreed to have their names handled.

Adam Scott recounted a conversation he had with McIlroy, in which the latter assured him that "the controversy is motivating him" and that is why he had kept his game at a high level despite his work on the Policy Board.

"He feels like he has put his reputation on the line and the most effective way to defend himself is to win golf tournaments," said Scott (via Today's Golfer).

Max Homa, meanwhile, said that McIlroy's work as part of the PGA Tour management was a "huge testament" to him. He told Alan Shipnuck (via Today's Golfer):

"Having Rory on your side is not exactly a bad thing. Everybody could use a Rory in their life."

Another person who spoke to Alan Shipnuck was Rory McIlroy's manager Sean O'Flaherty, who called the source that ranted about the Northern Irishman without agreeing to publish his name "a coward".