McIlroy takes centre stage in illuminating documentary
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a stroke from the No. 11 tee during Practice Round 2 for the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
Whatever else can be said about Rory McIlroy, he is not a man to hold back when he thinks something isn’t as it should be. And that is likely to make the upcoming golfing documentary Full Swing a compulsive watch for golfing fans, as well as anyone who’s interested in a thrilling story. The documentary takes a look inside the PGA Tour from the perspective of a number of golfers, one of whom is McIlroy. When he’s not leading the Nicosia bet rundown as a perennial contender at the top of the men’s rankings, McIlroy is a players’ spokesman on the tour. And there has been a lot to talk about in golf recently.
Inevitably, Full Swing concerns itself with the controversy over the breakaway LIV Tour, a subject on which McIlroy has not been quiet. During the course of the year that it looks at, the players under its gaze go from a 100% PGA Tour cohort to one that is 50-50 with the LIV rebels. The breakaway Saudi-funded tour has come in for a considerable degree of criticism from within the sport and outside, and that is a topic that isn’t shied away from. Perhaps the most prominent voice on the show is that of McIlroy who, as a leading golfer and a name with recognition that transcends the sport, has a lot to say.
LIV golfers say their piece
The players who have left the PGA Tour behind do get their chance to explain why they have taken the step of joining the breakaway promotion, and they’re not shy about confirming that it’s a financial decision. Both Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson are asked on camera about their motivations, and they aren’t slow to explain that any of us, if offered more money to do less work, would have little hesitation in accepting. They refrain from addressing any of the geopolitical concerns raised by critics, which is as you’d expect.
McIlroy questions the legitimacy of explanations
For McIlroy’s part, the documentary shows him fighting an often losing battle to keep golfers on the main tour. In one scene, he speaks to a group of golfers including Cameron Smith advising them to think carefully before accepting a LIV invitation. Shortly after that clip was filmed, Smith joined LIV, taking his British Open title with him. When it is explained to him that golfers are taking the chance to earn as much as they can before retiring, McIlroy has little patience for that argument considering the huge amounts these golfers already earn, pointing out that in no other sport can performers pick and choose when they play.
A lot left unsaid
Naturally, a documentary focusing on a controversial year in the life of the PGA Tour touches on some controversial subjects, but it does leave some gaps that would be nice to see filled in. However, it is pretty much an accepted fact that the players who have joined the LIV Tour are going to be reluctant to talk about the more headline-grabbing elements of their move. We hear pretty much nothing about whether those players feel a sense of disquiet over the accusation that they are being used in sportswashing. Beyond a vague message of “well, what are you gonna do?”, that’s absent - and it’s that element that people are interested in.
