Rory McIlroy told he got wrong end of the stick after irking Open champion

Rory McIlroy has been told he "got it wrong" with his dismissive comments about not wanting to compete on PGA Tour Champions when he turns 50. The 36-year-old is still playing golf at a high level, havingwon the Masters for the first time this year to complete a career Grand Slam.

And after battling through a challenging few months following his Augusta triumph, McIlroy now shares the lead going into the final day at the Scottish Open.

Looking towards the future, the Northern Irishman was asked ahead of the 2025 Players Championship in March whether he would ever consider playing on the PGA Tour Champions. He responded with a firm "absolutely not".

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"I think when I've achieved everything I want to achieve in the game and I get to the point where I don't think I can maybe do that anymore," he said. "I'd also like to walk away with a little bit left in the tank. I don't want to be out there embarrassing myself. I'd like to walk away maybe a little before I should. Put it that way.

"Look, I've said a lot of absolutes in my time that I've walked back, but I do not envision playing Champions Tour golf. Something has gone terribly wrong if I have to compete at golf at 50."

McIlroy's comments sparked a response from several veteran golfers on the Champions tour, including former Open Championship winner Ernie Els. The South African hit back with: "Interesting to read @McIlroyRory comments today. At 35 years old I was also bullet proof saying things about not playing past 50.

“I’m 55 now and laughing at my comments from back then. @ChampionsTour golf is so fulfilling with a great bunch of players we all grew up together from junior golf. Our sponsors and partners are wonderful companies and people. Competition is a powerful tool!"

With eligibility for the Champions Tour starting at 50, McIlroy has plenty of time to reconsider his stance. And his former agent, Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler, disagreed with McIlroy's implication that senior tour players are still only competing for the money.

Chandler told Betway: “That can be from being unsettled at home. It can be because his game’s not quite right. It's easy for him to say right now, ‘I'm not right’. But I think he'll reset completely, and he'll go again next February with a brand new attitude and mind again.

“He owes nobody anything apart from himself. Because he's still an underachiever in a funny sort of way. He should have won his Grand Slam 10 years ago.

“So I think you'll find that he comes next year and has a full go at it again, and he'll retract his senior statement in about 10 years' time because that's what he does, isn’t it? I mean, the Ryder Cup was an exhibition when he was with me. Look at him now.

“He's not bad at turning back as he changes his mind. That senior comment will definitely be like that because they don't play for the cash.

“He's got it wrong. He thinks they're playing for the cash. They're not. They're playing because they like competing at golf.

“Ernie Els is up for it to be amongst the lads, not to try and earn 50 grand. When Shane Lowry’s a senior and a few of his [McIlroy’s] peers, like Justin Rose and whoever are around him, then it'll be different.”

McIlroy on Saturday expressed confidence in his game, saying he is close to recapturing his Masters-winning form after a strong third-round performance at the Scottish Open. He carded a 66 to share the lead with American Chris Gotterup on 11 under.

Looking ahead to next week's 2025 Open Championship, 2014 winner McIlroy reflected on his recent dip in form, saying: "I think I've had a little bit of a lull, which I feel is understandable. When you do something that you've been dreaming your whole life to do, it was a huge moment in my life, my career.

"I think I just needed that little bit of time. And to be back here for the last couple weeks, and feel like I could actually digest all of it, I feel like I came to this tournament with renewed enthusiasm and excitement for the rest of the year."