There are a lot of storylines coming into the Masters golf tournament, but one of the biggest is how the players who stuck with the PGA Tour will interact with the ones who left for LIV Golf. Rory Mcllroy, one of the most outspoken critics of the LIV defectors, is probably the best place to turn for reaction.

One of the players credited for leading the defection is Phil Mickelson, who has won the Masters three times in his career. When asked about talking to Mickelson, Rory Mcllory said it's like business as usual, in an interview captured by ESPN.

“I have not spoken to Phil, but it's great to see him back,” Mcllroy said. “You know, he's a three-time champion here. We're not even two years removed from him doing what I believe is one of the greatest feats in the game of golf, winning the [2021] PGA Championship at 51 years of age or whatever it was. It's good to have him back.”

Mcllroy's criticism towards LIV Golf

When Mickelson originally became something like a recruiter for LIV Golf, Mcllroy didn't hold back on his criticism towards “Lefty” and the other golfers who defected, saying there was no path forward for the Saudi-backed league.

“I mean, there’s no one [that will go],” he said. “It’s dead in the water, in my opinion. I just can’t see any reason why anyone would go.”

Fast forward, and a lot of big names went, such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. Despite Mcllroy's remarks, it appears LIV Golf is here to say, and the Masters is a test to see how the two leagues can co-exist.