Rory McIlroy takes shot at Greg Norman after getting 21st PGA Tour victory

Rory McIlroy watches his tee shot on the 17th hole on his way to winning the Canadian Open. (Nathan Denette/CP)

Rory McIlroy had some extra motivation to secure his 21st career PGA Tour victory at the Canadian Open on Sunday.

Following a thrilling final round where he shot a 62 to finish the tournament at 19-under, McIlroy couldn't help but point out who he passed on the all-time PGA Tour leaderboard.

"This is “It’s incredible,” McIlroy said in a postmatch interview on CBS Sports. “Playing with Tony and JT, and all of us playing the way we did, I think the worst round was 6 under, this is a day I will always remember. My 21st PGA Tour win, one more than somebody else, that gave me a little extra incentive today and I’m happy to get it done.”

That someone else is Greg Norman, chief executive of the LIV Golf Invitational, who has 20 wins on the PGA Tour. This comes as both McIlroy and Norman have exchanged comments about the newly Saudi-funded golf series.

McIlroy believed that the LIV Golf series was not a proper tournament in comparison to the PGA events on the calendar.

“I certainly don’t think the field is anything to jump up and down about,” McIlroy said back at the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament. “Look at the field this week. Look at the field next week in Canada. They are proper golf tournaments.”

Norman had criticized McIlroy for coming out against LIV Golf saying that he has been "brainwashed" by "golf's ruling class" in order to protect the PGA.

McIlroy secured back-to-back Canadian Open titles finishing 19-under in front of a roaring crowd at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto. It was the first tournament in Canada since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 33-year-old competed in strong field that included Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Justin Rose, Corey Conners, and Sam Burns. Now, McIlroy will prepare for next week's U.S. Open which will allow LIV golfers to compete since it is not a PGA run event.

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