Rory McIlroy has been left unimpressed by the field for the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event.
The Irishman referred to it as “nothing to jump up and down about” and said players joining the Saudi-funded breakaway circuit need not face severe punishment.
The breakaway league announced the field for its first tournament this week.
His request may soon come true with speculation that golfers who defect to the LIV Golf Series could face lifetime bans from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour among other repercussions but McIlroy feels such action would be too harsh.
“I certainly don’t think they should drop the hammer,” world number eight told reporters ahead of the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
“Look, they are well within their rights to enforce the rules and regulations that have been set. But … it’s going to end up being an argument about what those rules and regulations are.”
The first LIV Golf event will take place outside London from 9th-11th June.
Dustin Johnson is the main attraction for the inaugural event who at world number 13 is the highest-ranked player in a field that currently includes 26 of the top 150 golfers in the world.
He has already lost a lucrative deal after deciding to join the breakaway league.
Among the other notable names competing are 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen and former U.S. Open champions Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer.
All seven regular-season LIV Golf events this year will offer a $25 million purse including $4 million for the winner with the season-ending event featuring a $30 million purse.
McIlroy believes that type of money proves too enticing to turn down for those in the latter stages of their careers.
“It’s a young man’s game nowadays,” said McIlroy.
“So someone that isn’t guaranteed their Tour card next year, another entity comes along and says, we’ll guarantee you this amount for three years, plus you’re playing for a ton more prize money, and you’re playing less events, you can spend more time with your family.
“I mean, whenever you sit down and look at some of those things, you know, it’s very appealing to some of those guys that are in that position.
