McIlroy: Norman needs to leave for LIV, PGA TOUR to 'mend fences'

Rory McIlroy has always been open with his opinion regarding Greg Norman's LIV Golf Series. On Tuesday, the 33-year-old was candid once again, saying Norman is in the way of progress between the two tours.

"I think Greg needs to go. I think he just needs to exit stage left," McIlroy said of the rival series' CEO ahead of the DP World Tour Championship, per ASAP Sports. "He's made his mark, but I think now is the right time to sort of say, look, you've got this thing off the ground, but no one is going to talk unless there's an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences."

He added: "And if those two things happen, then things can happen. But right now, it's a stalemate because there can't be any other way."

Last week, The Telegraph's James Corrigan reported that LIV Golf was looking into replacing Norman with ex-TaylorMade CEO Mark King. Norman would reportedly move to a different role within LIV.

LIV Golf subsequently refuted the report.

While Norman has been successful in bringing in big names like Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau to LIV Golf, he's also been the face of the league throughout its ongoing feud with the PGA TOUR.

The inaugural LIV Golf season wrapped up last month, with Johnson's 4 Aces GC clinching the team championship. On Sunday, LIV Golf announced it will add a tournament in Adelaide, Australia, to its 14-event schedule in 2023.

This week, McIlroy is in Dubai for the end of the DP World Tour season, of which he's currently ranked No. 1, with New Zealand's Ryan Fox and England's Matt Fitzpatrick close behind.

Earlier this year, McIlroy also took home the 2021-22 FedEx Cup title after winning the season-ending TOUR Championship. Just last month, he won the CJ Cup in South Carolina, where he became the World No. 1 for the ninth time in his career.