"...No" - Rory McIlroy's blunt response shows the perceived disunity in the PGA Tour right now

Rory McIlroy has become somewhat of an ambassador for the PGA Tour. He's an influential star and has become the spearhead figure in the war against the rebel tour, LIV Golf. He's also one of the hottest golfers in the world right now, as he was World No.1 for a while and could get back with another strong performance.

With his newfound role, he's been asked a lot about the state of golf, the state of the PGA Tour, and of course, about LIV Golf. This time, he was asked:

"Do you think the tour is unified?"

He responded:

"...No."

It was a classically brutal, honest response from McIlroy, who doesn't pull any punches. The game of golf is as divided as it has ever been, largely with one half on the side of LIV and the other on the PGA Tour.

However, even within the PGA Tour, McIlroy believes it's been unraveled a bit. There are certainly varying opinions on LIV within the PGA Tour, and that could be what McIlroy is referring to.

The Tour is also undergoing a few major changes, and that could be another thing Rory McIlroy believes is causing some disunity.

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Rory McIlroy made one mistake in Arnold Palmer Invitational

At the Arnold Palmer Invitational over the last weekend, Rory McIlroy finished one shot below the ultimate winner, Kurt Kitayama. He held a lead late in the contest, but couldn't finish well.

McIlroy looked at the leaderboard at various times during the final day, but he didn't when he had that one-shot lead. He regrets this, according to Golf.com:

“The one thing I’ll rue."

“Disappointment. Obviously, I feel like I gave myself a great chance after the birdie on 13, and then to play the final five holes in one-over par is not, with this jam-packed leaderboard, is not really going to get it done."

He added:

“I think I’ll rue the tee shot on 14, especially. I didn’t know where I was in the tournament. I birdied 13 and thought maybe I was one or two behind because Jordan was making a run, but as I was walking up to the green on 14, I looked back and I saw I was one ahead."

Rory McIlroy at the Arnold Palmer Invitational

The 33-year-old continued:

"And if I had known that, I probably would have hit a different shot into 14, instead of trying to hit a perfect golf shot over that bunker. But anyways, it was a battle all day.”

Had he known he was protecting a slim lead, the star golfer might not have been so bold. That could have been the difference in winning and losing. Had he just hit the shot in in a safer format, he might have saved the shot that ended up being the difference.

It might have forced a playoff, but McIlroy had to feel that he stood a good chance against Kitayama. Nevertheless, the Irish golfer didn't check the scoreboard, which might have been his undoing in the end.