Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler backs Kevin Kisner's claim that Rory McIlroy played in India for a massive paycheck rather than simply participating to help grow the game

Rory McIlroy’s former agent, Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, addressed Kevin Kisner’s recent comments, stating that the World No. 2 had motivations beyond simply growing the game of golf during his trip to India.

By claiming a desire to grow the game, McIlroy was called out by four-time PGA Tour winner Kisner for obscuring his true motivations for competing in the DP World Tour India Championship recently. Speaking on the Fore Play podcast, Kisner said that McIlroy and a few other top names were definitely earning an appearance fee to be in New Delhi.

McIlroy was alongside Aaron Rai, Ryan Fox, Tommy Fleetwood, and Justin Rose at the tournament, as the career grand slam winner also found himself speaking at a Bloomberg forum for nearly half an hour about the demise of LIV Golf.

McIlroy noted that he couldn’t use his driver at the tournament, which has been a key weapon for the 37-year-old throughout the season. He’s been hoping to find a better work-life balance, but has also been a key voice in growing the game globally.

Kisner called him out, claiming that he had no intention of "globally expanding" in India and that he knew he was in New Delhi just for a paycheck.

“That is such a dog— comment, but I guess for the right price, we could all say that comment,” Kisner told the Fore Play podcast, referring to McIlroy wanting to grow the game.

“He doesn’t want to globally expand in India, he wants to get his $10 million bucks and go play in India.” Kisner noted that the DP World Tour is allowed to dish out appearance fees.

His former agent, who worked with McIlroy from 2007 to 2011, also didn’t back the two-time Masters champion.

“They’re all singing off the same hymn sheet. Not one of them will say, ‘I’m here because I’ve got paid $500,000 to be here,’” Chandler told BetBrothers.

“It goes back to being a business and making your money how you make it. One of the reasons Rory wouldn’t sign for LIV would be the fact that he can make enough money without being paid $300 million by LIV. That was the balance they all had: how much they got offered and how much they can make without it."

Amid a LIV Golf downfall, Chandler continued, noting that McIlroy knew exactly why Kisner made the comments.

“I think he’d be chuckling and thinking, ‘Well, of course that’s why I’m here.’. And he can’t say anything else either,” said Chandler.

“He’s not going to turn around and say, ‘I’m here because I’m getting paid millions of dollars.’ He’s going to say to the press, “I’m here to spread the game. In a funny sort of way, DP World is taking over from where PIF was.

“DP World is beginning to spread the word around golf. To me, if DP World follows the trend now, they should sponsor a lot of national Opens. You should have the DP World Spanish Open, you should have the DP World French Open, and that would do an awful lot. Now they’ve got Rory as a flag bearer. That also would work.”