“LIV golfers trying to say hi” – Paige Spiranac compares McIlroy to Messi in latest jibe at LIV

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley on Tuesday confirmed that LIV golfers will be allowed to compete in next year’s Masters. The decision was made amid the raging LIV Golf-PGA Tour debate. Reacting to the decision, golfer-turned-influencer Paige Spiranac decided to take a jibe at LIV golfers.

Spiranac took a swipe at the LIV players by comparing Rory McIlroy to Argentine footballer Lionel Messi. The golf model shared a video of Celebrity Chef Salt Bae trying to get hold of the legendary footballer during Argentina’s FIFA World Cup-winning celebrations. However, the PSG player was seen ignoring the Turkish chef and walking away.

Spiranac shared the video with the caption “LIV golfers trying to say hi to Rory at The Masters.” With this, the golf model hinted that the players from the Saudi-backed league will be ignored by the PGA Tour star despite being on the same pitch, much like how Messi ignored Salt Bae.

Here is the tweet from Paige Spiranac:

LIV golfers trying to say hi to Rory at The Masters https://t.co/hZ15reOoId

The video of the GOAT footballer ignoring the internet sensation from Turkey has gone viral on social media. According to reports, Bae was allegedly trying to take a picture with Messi. However, the footballer’s cold treatment of the chef had Twitter users laughing. Paige Spiranac has used the same video as a troll for LIV players.

It is pertinent to note that Spiranac had earlier called for a LIV Golf vs PGA Tour event. The golf model called for the snub of the President’s Cup and said that the event be replaced by a tournament between the two tours. Now, a LIV golfer vs PGA Tour star matchup at Augusta will be the closest to this.

LIV golfers to compete in The Masters 2023

Despite being banned from the PGA Tour, LIV golfers will now be allowed to play The Masters. According to Augusta National, the Saudi-backed series’ players will be allowed to play the coveted event if they meet the eligibility criteria set for the event. The announcement was made by Masters Chairman Fred Ridley.

Releasing a statement on the matter, Ridley opened the doors for past champions like Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, among others, to play yet again at Augusta.

Masters Chairman Fred Ridley's official statement read:

"Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it. Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April."

It further noted:

"Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April."

🚨#NEW: Augusta National has announced that LIV golfers will NOT be barred from competing in #TheMasters tournament. Full statement: masters.com/en_US/news/art…

With this, players including the likes of Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, and Phil Mickelson will stand a chance to play against the PGA Tour stars. The event held at Augusta National will have high stakes, owing to the ongoing fight between the two tours.