Sergio Garcia slams 'immature' Rory McIlroy: "He's the one with the problem!"

Sergio Garcia has opened up on his beef with Rory McIlroy on the eve of the LIV Golf League season, describing the Northern Irishman as 'immature'.

Ben Smith

24 Feb 2023

Sergio Garcia slams 'immature' Rory McIlroy: "He's the one with the problem!" — Sergio Garcia slams 'immature' Rory McIlroy: "He's the one with the…

Sergio Garcia says Rory McIlroy is the 'one that has the problem' as he opened up on their feud before the second LIV Golf campaign.

Speaking to The Telegraph before their $25m opener at Mayakoba, the 43-year-old said the breakdown of their friendship was "very sad".

Garcia previously sent prominent LIV Golf critic McIlroy a text message, urging him to stop bad-mouthing the breakaway tour.

McIlroy later said he was "pretty offended" being told to "shut up" by the 2017 Masters champion and "sent back a few daggers of my own".

The duo were good friends and appeared on numerous successful Ryder Cup sides together.

They were so close that McIlroy even was a groomsman when Garcia wed Angela Akins in the same year he won his first major.

Their friendship appears to have completely deteriorated. Now Garcia has described McIlroy, 33, as "lacking maturity".

Sergio Garcia slams 'immature' Rory McIlroy:

Garcia told Jamie Corrigan:

"I think it is very sad. I think that we've done so many things together and had so many experiences that for him to throw that away just because I decided to go to a different tour, well, it doesn't seem very mature; lacking maturity, really.

"But Rory's got his own life and he makes his own choices, the same way that I make mine. I respect his choices, but it seems like he doesn't respect the ones I make. So a one-way street."

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Does he have a problem with McIlroy now?

He continued:

"Sure, I don't have a problem with him. He's the one that has a problem. So if he wants to reconcile, then I'm willing to talk. But I'm not sure he'll put himself down to that level."

"I've always had full respect for Rory"

Another LIV Golf player, Patrick Reed, also weighed in on his own personal beef with McIlroy.

Speaking to Golf Digest's Evin Priest, Reed said his "tee flick" drama was blown way out of proportion.

Reed was filmed flicking a LIV-branded 4 Aces GC tee towards McIlroy on the range at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour.

McIlroy later said he deliberately ignored him because he was served a legal summons on Christmas eve.

He said didn't take the news kindly as he was trying to enjoy his time off with his wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy.

As for Reed, he said that both times they saw each other after 'the incident' they spoke to each other.

He told Priest:

"I've always had full respect for Rory. I've always loved the battles I've had against him. I've just watched the [2016] Ryder Cup highlights [recently] … they are insane. Same thing at Augusta [during Reed's 2018 Masters victory] when I was playing with him on the Sunday … there's nothing better you want as a player trying to win your first major than it being against Rory McIlroy. He was also going for his career grand slam."

Reed said he believed things in professional golf will calm down once the ruling is known in the DP World Tour v LIV Golf hearing.

The American's comments come after it was confirmed LIV players would be eligible to compete in all of 2023's majors.

Reed will come face-to-face with McIlroy at Augusta National in April and he will dine with the other Masters' champions.

Tiger Woods said he didn't know what his reaction would be when he saw the other LIV players.

For Reed? The evening is all about honouring Scottie Scheffler.

Next page: Nine players who changed their mind about LIV