RORY McILROY warned his Ryder Cup friends who were on the Saudi-backed breakaway tour to make money: It won't end well.
Today's LIV Invitational Series opening in St Albans features Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, as well as Graeme McDowell.
Rory McIlroy gave a warning to players who are considering joining the rebel LIV Golf Series
Bryson de Chambeau was the latest major-name golfer to sign up for the Saudi-backed series
The rebel league will also include US stars Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Bryson de Chambeau.
Poulter, Westwood and others have asked Ryder Cup chiefs to not ban them from the event.
McIlroy stated that any decision made in life solely for money will not lead to the best results.
"Obviously money is a deciding factor in many things in the world. But if it's just for money, it doesn't seem to work out the way you want.
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"I've experienced that a few times in my lifetime."
Yesterday, Phil Mickelson, six-time Majors winner who was paid an astonishing PS160m to play, defended his participation on the breakaway tour. He had previously called the Saudi backers "scary ***********s."
McIlroy said that his stance was clear right from the beginning.
"It's something I don't want to do. I can understand the men who have it, and I understand their ambitions.
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"It's their choice, but I want the opportunity to play on the PGA Tour with the best players in the country."
The rebel tour has sparked civil warfare in the sport, with players who signed up facing PGA sanctions.
McIlroy, 33 years old, said: "It is a strange time in professional golf. We will have to wait and see how it plays out, and what the consequences are.
"Right now it's not something that I envision ever doing. "I am content playing on the PGA Tour."
Westwood has 11 appearances, making him Europe's most skilled Ryder Cup player. Poulter is known as "The Postman", because he "always delivers".
Both are now facing bans, but Poulter (46) said that he would like to believe it wouldn't put this in jeopardy.
It was a risk factor, but it wasn't known what that would mean. It's not clear how DP World Tour will view it.
"All the time I have played golf around the world, in different countries and on different tours, I don’t see why this should not be the case."
"I can see other top players wanting this."
Westwood, who was to be named Europe's captain in 2023, said: "That's something that I have to consider."
"I will be 50 in April so I don't know if the playing days are over, but captaincy could be at risk.
"Both of our teams are members of PGA Tour, while we are both in the European Tour.
"That hasn't had any effect in the past on people being captains, and LIV Golf tour is another tour so why should it?"
Westwood didn't mince words when he said that he would take the money and share the PS20m prize funds offered over the next three days at Centurion Club.
He said, "I am a professional golfer. I do it as my livelihood."
"If there is a pay rise, then at my age, it would be stupid not to accept it."
To justify his position, Westwood used the term "independent contractor" and stated that: "We all have played in Saudi Arabia, been released by the PGA Tour, and have held events there. It is not different.
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However, the pair were less comfortable when asked where they would not play. This included South Africa in the Apartheid era or Vladimir Putin's Russian.
Poulter stated: "That's speculation. That's all I need to know.
Westwood agreed, saying: "We cannot answer a hypothetical query."
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