Why Is There So Much Hate For Rory McIlroy? Here's What Might Be Sparking the Dislike

There seems to be no in-between when it comes to Rory McIlroy — people either love him or can’t stand him, and it’s not totally clear why. TikToker @golf_culture brought it up after praising Rory for an "unbelievable recovery" shot during the 2025 Masters, which Rory ended up winning.

The clip left him wondering how some fans still aren’t rooting for the guy. Rory’s clearly got talent, at least in the world of golf. So why does he get so much hate? Here's what the haters have to say.

It seems a lot of people hate (or dislike, for a better choice of words) Rory McIlroy because of how he reacts in certain situations. Several TikTok users collectively labeled him a "crybaby," especially when it comes to the whole LIV Golf controversy (more on that later). In the comments of @golf_culture's video, one person wrote, "I think it's because he whines. No one likes a complainer. That's my take on it. No hate, but he is not for me."

A lot of the hate (or strong dislike) might also stem from how much airtime and coverage he gets. One commenter chimed in, "It's not him that I hate, it's the obsession over him, particularly the commentary and broadcast coverage." Which, to be fair, does happen in plenty of industries — we can all probably name one or two people who get more hype than they really deserve.

But Rory did win the 2025 Masters, earning a whopping $4.2 million — and The Players Championship in March 2025, collecting another $4.5 million. So maybe some of that hype is actually validated?

The hate for Rory might also stem from his outspoken stance against LIV Golf. During a 2023 press conference, he didn’t hold back, saying, "I still hate LIV, like I hate LIV, like I hope it goes away."

For context, LIV Golf was created and is fully funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — something that’s sparked controversy around the league. That said, opinions are definitely split. There are plenty who don’t support LIV Golf, but there’s also a solid fanbase behind it. The league’s official TikTok account has over 1 million followers, which suggests supporters likely aren’t too fond of people like Rory, who clearly want it to disappear.

Another reason behind the hate toward Rory could be the changing era of golf fans. One Reddit user noted, "I feel like early in his career, Rory was generally well-liked, but in the last few years, there’s been a noticeable increase in hateful comments toward him."

This sentiment was echoed in the comments of @golf_culture’s TikTok, where some suggested that newer fans aren’t as fond of Rory, while longtime fans still support him. As @unvvendel3000 on Reddit put it, Rory is "too real for some." So, that might just be another reason why some fans aren’t fully on Team Rory.