rory mcilroy pga tour dlc

Sources: Rory McIlroy set to return to PGA Tour policy board

Rory McIlroy hopes golf's top players can compete against each other sooner rather than later. (0:51)

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Four-time major championship winner Rory McIlroy is poised to return to the PGA Tour's policy board, pending a vote by the board, which could come as early as this week, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.

One of the PGA Tour's most vocal supporters during its three-year battle with LIV Golf, McIlroy abruptly resigned as a player director on the tour's influential policy board in November.

He is expected to replace policy board player director Webb Simpson , who intends to step away before his two-year term expires in 2025.

McIlroy's potential return comes at a time when the PGA Tour is attempting to negotiate a final agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is financing the rival LIV Golf League.

McIlroy, the No. 2 golfer in the world, previously joined the tour's policy board in 2022 and was expected to serve through 2024. He cited personal and professional commitments in making his decision to leave the board in November.

With players from both sides bickering about money and what the sport's future should be, TV ratings for PGA Tour events are down about 20% this season. Even the Masters, the first major championship of the season, wasn't immune from golf fans' fatigue. TV ratings for the final round at Augusta National Golf Club earlier this month (9.58 million viewers) were the lowest since 2021 (9.45 million).

"I know this isn't a be-all, end-all, but if you look at the TV ratings of the PGA Tour this year, they're down 20% across the board," McIlroy said at the Valero Texas Open this month. "That's a fifth. That's big. I would say the numbers on LIV aren't great either in terms of the people tuning in.

"I just think with the fighting and everything that's went on over the past couple years, people are just getting really fatigued of it and it's turning people off men's professional golf, and that's not a good thing for anyone."

McIlroy, 34, would also join the board of directors of PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit entity the tour launched with Strategic Sports Group earlier this year. The other six player directors from the tour's policy board -- Patrick Cantlay , Peter Malnati , Adam Scott , Simpson, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods -- are serving simultaneously on both boards. Former tour member Joe Ogilvie was added as a board liaison.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and policy board player directors met with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan in the Bahamas on March 18.

McIlroy has previously met with Al-Rumayyan to discuss the future of men's professional golf. McIlroy said Al-Rumayyan wanted to do the "right thing" with PIF's investment in golf.

"I think I've said this before, I have spent time with Yasir and his -- the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice, so [LIV Golf CEO Greg] Norman and those guys," McIlroy said at the Players Championship in March.

"I see the two entities, and I think there's a big, I actually think there's a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV. I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing."

The Guardian of London first reported McIlroy's potential return to the PGA Tour policy board.

McIlroy is competing in this week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event with Ireland's Shane Lowry .

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Rory McIlroy to make unexpected return to PGA Tour Policy Board: Report

Rory McIlroy is expected to renew his post atop the PGA Tour policy board, a report says.

Darren Riehl.

Five months ago, Rory McIlroy announced a surprising decision. He was done as a player-director on the PGA Tour’s Policy Board , effective immediately, after years of strategizing and stressing about the future of the men’s professional game.

“I just felt like something had to give,” McIlroy said then . “I just didn’t feel like I could commit the time and the energy into doing that. I don’t mind being busy, but I just like being busy doing my own stuff. Something had to give and there’s guys that are on that board that are spending a lot more time and a lot more energy on it than I am.”

Five months later, McIlroy, it seems, is on the verge of making another announcement — and pardon us for borrowing our parlance from Jordan Belfort:

I’m not $%&#! leaving!

Per a report from the Guardian’ s Ewen Murray , the four-time major champ is returning to his seat on the Policy Board — and adding a seat on the PGA Tour Enterprises board to boot.

The decision comes as longtime Policy Board member and PGA Tour veteran Webb Simpson tendered his own resignation from the board, according to Murray’s report, with the express-written request that McIlroy fill his spot.

The news would make sense for most of the parties involved with the PGA Tour as negotiations with the Saudi PIF regarding a potential merger to unify professional golf reach their 11th month — and have helped to contribute to considerable drops in television interest in men’s professional golf.

McIlroy, who has been one of the Tour’s most ardent defenders from the beginning of the fracture, brings a wealth of knowledge on the inner workings of the Policy Board and an international perspective on the state of the game. Among the topics he is versed on is the DP World Tour, which could be considerably altered by the outcome of Tour-PIF negotiations. McIlroy’s understanding of LIV, including how perceptions of the league and its financiers have changed in the last three years, could also prove valuable.

It’s not known if McIlroy will make any noticeable change in helping talks between the two negotiating parties push any closer to the finish line. The Tour and PIF have missed at least one deadline to finalize an agreement, and progress on terms to reunify golf has crawled along. In recent months, negotiations have included a visit to Saudi Arabia from the PGA Tour’s leadership and a meeting between top-ranking PIF officials and PGA Tour stars.

The downside of returning to the board spotlight is a more personal burden for McIlroy, who will once again find himself the Tour’s de facto spokesman. That role occupied much of his time and caused him considerable strife during the first two years of LIV’s existence.

Now, it’s time for yet another move — back to where he started.

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James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages the Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and utilizes his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at [email protected].

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EA SPORTS™ Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR®

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Golf without limits in EA SPORTS Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR. Usher in the next generation of golf with the power of the Frostbite 3 engine and play the most beautiful sports game to date with no load times, enabling you to explore authentic tournament courses or unique fantasy environments, opening up your golf experience like never before. Don’t just play the course, explore it!

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Four more courses coming free to Rory McIlroy PGA Tour

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Another three real-world courses and four modes of play will be added into Rory McIlroy PGA Tour by March, EA Sports announced today. The additions, plus two other free courses already released, should help soothe disappointment over the skimpy offerings the golf title had offered at launch.

EA Sports didn't give a specific timeline for the new course inclusions, but there will be four — Quail Hollow Club of Charlotte, NC, TPC Stadium at PGA West in La Quinta, CA, Oakmont Country Club in suburban Pittsburgh, and Treasure Island, a fictitious course.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour added  TPC Scottsdale in August and  East Lake Golf Club in September and with them, two additional events in the career mode. There was no specific detail on how the four new courses would be incorporated into the game's career.

That will bring to 18 the number of courses in the game, all either on the disc or free to download. By comparison, the final three editions of the preceding Tiger Woods PGA Tour series had 16 to 20 courses in the main release.

Additionally, real-life golfers Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson will be added to the roster of players, and one-off play will offer skins, four ball, alternate shot and best ball formats, as had been available in past series.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour was praised for its enhanced gameplay but it wasn't enough to overcome the skimpy offerings — just 12 courses, eight of them real — at launch. Polygon  scored the game a 6.0, in particular lamenting the thin career mode but pleased with the swing mechanisms and changes to putting.

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Rory McIlroy PGA Tour Review

After a brief hiatus, the PGA Tour video game series is back with a brand new face to front it in the form of the next big thing in golf, Rory McIlroy. Rory McIlroy PGA Tour fills the golfing void after a two year waiting period and becomes the first PGA Tour game on the latest generation of consoles. Can the Northern Irish hot shot propel the series to heights never seen before?

The short answer is no. There are many reasons to back this up as you’ll find in this review, with none of them being because of Rory himself so he can rest easy… for now.

Where do I begin? Well, let’s dive straight into the career mode which is usually the meat of any sports game and it should be no different here with PGA Tour Pro Career. Unfortunately it seems as though someone has forgotten this, due to it actually being a rather bare bones effort if I’m completely honest. Sure you can create yourself a male or a female golfer but there are serious omissions after this. The fact you won’t be facing off against other female golfers is odd should you choose a female character, however the fact your career will never cross paths with The Masters tournament is just plain stupid. Not having Augusta National as a playable course doesn’t seem viable when it’s arguably one of the most well known and hugely popular courses of all time.

Off the course there’s also very little to look at in terms of stats and your career progression is shown merely as a level number. Each level up you earn will unlock new items or clothing which is kind of nice. It doesn’t satisfy my need to choose where my skills are improved though; instead I’m left with watching the game decide where to add an attribute point here and there or mildly boosting an area of my golf skills myself. But hey, at least customizing the clubs in your bag is present, as is being able to decide on your golfer’s outfit, so that’s something.

During your career you’ll be expected to play four rounds on each course which can take a while on full rounds length. Alternatively you can switch it to quick rounds which will be over after a few holes and helps the whole process less monotonous. Four full rounds of Wolf Creek in a row is just torture, even though it’s one of my favourite courses.

Keep winning events and it won’t be long before you’ll be ranked No.1 in the world, ready to compete in the FedEx cup. That’s everything need to know about the PGA Tour Pro Career though.

The other main aspect that has to be mentioned is the way the game is played. There are three ways of playing; Arcade, Classic or Tour. Depending on whether you prefer to use the analog stick to swing the club or test your timing skills with the old 3-click method, every gamer will be satisfied when it comes to the control scheme. The Tour controls will suit the hardcore players as it removes assists and puts emphasis on the quickness of your swinging.

While we’re on the positivity train, the use of the Frostbite 3 engine, that was used in the Battlefield franchise first, brings about some high quality visuals. The courses all look great, from the greens to the trees and the surrounding canyons. It’s also quickened up the loading times between holes. These are the first signs that Rory McIlroy PGA Tour has arrived on the new generation of consoles. The only signs in fact.

Night Club Challenge takes the world of golf and gives it a makeover for a whole load of skill based challenges. This is the best mode of the entire game, using mostly fictional courses and Wolf Creek. It’ll test your metal as you hit balls through things like fluorescent hoops high in the sky for example. It feels like more of a rave than a night club, with some darn crazy ideas and boosts to make this a great set of fantasy challenges. These boosts could be as simple as propelling the ball higher with Rocket boost, pausing a shot in mid-air to avoid obstacles and even getting the ball the stick to the ground upon landing.

With exactly 174 challenges to complete and earn up to three stars on, there’s plenty to do. However when you consider this is a golf simulator game, the fantasy side shouldn’t be the main draw.

When all else fails there’s always Play Now to play a full round, a front 9 or back 9 on the course of your choice with up to four players. Don’t be expecting many game types though except for Match Play and Stroke Play. Long gone are the likes of Bingo, Bango, Bongo or Skins.

What about the courses on offer? There are just eight real life courses to choose from and four fantasy ones, including the standout Paracel Storm. Another step backwards when you think back to the sheer amount on offer in previous games. Celtic Manor, Augusta, Pebble Beach, Valhalla, Torrey Pines, are all gone. The list of well known courses left out is ridiculous and I’m not even scratching the surface with those named. This is EA SPORTS, a true giant in the gaming industry and they’re cutting back on courses, having to create their own to bolster the amount on disc. There aren’t even that many real golfers on the roster to play with.

Switching to the online side and there’s not an awful lot to say. Head2Head Ranked (or unranked) pits you against online opponents in rounds on courses voted for by those in the lobby. I wouldn’t bother playing against others though as it makes characters invisible most of the time, following the ball trajection of opposition doesn’t work too well and it all feels a bit lonely. You can also play in either weekly or daily tournaments that are set up to register your best round on. With so few courses and very limited weather options, there is a real lack of variety and they’ll become samey in no time.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour takes great strides forwards on the way it plays as a golf game and visually it can rarely be faulted, apart from a few stuffed looking animals wandering around. On the whole though it leaps backwards on features, courses and golfers, hell they’ve even got made up cups on the PGA Tour to help fill the emptiness. As a part of the PGA Tour game series, it is a mere shadow of its former self.

This is not the greatest golfing game in the world; this is just a tribute.

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[…] for pound features you’re going to find in the gaming world and today, with the addition of Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR into the Vault, it’s got better […]

I very much agree with your review. The golf game has lost its soul (Like most EA titles these days), and with it that addictive factor that had me playing till early hours of the morning on Tiger Woods PGA 9 – 12 (and then they started getting derailed). Even when it comes to the graphics, they look pretty, but the “jumping” of shadows and object resolution tends to spoil the illusion. And yes, you nailed it on that “stuffed animals” comment. All in all, this feels like a demo, or a beta. It feels unpolished, unbalanced and unfocused.

Rumour has it that this won’t be a yearly release any more – a step in the right direction – with hopefully some free DLC and expansions (and patches to fixes some bugs I’ve come across) in between.

At least we know now why PGA tour wasn’t even mentioned in EA E3 presentation, but here’s hoping that EA will redeem itself when I go play a round of golf with my best bud next week. You can still play a round with specific friends, right?

Cheers for the comment. I hope there’s at least one more in the yearly release schedule that will actually last longer than this one will. They’re supposed to add a few free course via dlc over time but they should’ve been on disc already. Yeah luckily you can still play an unranked round with friends!

I thought I’d come back here to recycle a comment I made on facebook after playing the game for a while now, and trying the unranked match with a friend:

——————————————————————————-

I’m so VERY disappointed in this game. My friend and I have been playing EA golf titles for ages, 99% of the time with just the two of us, talking crap on the fairways and greens, cheering the good shots and jeering the mistakes. In fact, the whole reason he bought his Xbox One was so that we could play PGA Tour together again.

Now the new H2H system has completely negated the fun bits of watching each other’s shots, feeling that excitement of close calls, the disappointment of the bunker. The ONLY option is what was formerly known as “stroke simultaneously” where you just happen to be on the same course… big bloody deal. EA took the fun out of the game.

I could live with the lack of courses, the “beta” feel of the game, the watered down options, useless celebrations, stuffed animals, settings etc compared to previous years. The fact that EA spoiled what was a Thursday night tradition for years between best friends? Not so much.

I can only hope a lot of patches, free DLC, improvements are incoming. Maybe you could do an article on everyone’s outrage 🙂

Completely agree with most of those points, I’d reckon an article on everyone’s outrage would be rather explosive! Thing is that even if they make improvements on this one it’s too little too late really. Games should be releasing at its very best with minor bugs at most to be patched.

Agreed, which is exactly why I think people trying to get rid of the pre-order culture are on to something..

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Official: Rory McIlroy makes big PGA Tour commitment

PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy will make his debut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside his 2023 Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry.

World number two Rory McIlroy will make his debut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans later this month. 

It will be the first time McIlroy has played in the team-based PGA Tour event. 

Unsurprisingly, McIlroy will take part in the tournament alongside his 2023 European Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry . 

McIlroy has made no secret of his desire to play more professional golf tournaments in 2024 to help in his bid to finally end his major drought. 

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans will take place over 25-28 April, two weeks after the Ulsterman attempts to win the Masters . 

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• Crazy graphic shows how Scottie Scheffler's caddie is out-earning Rory McIlroy

According to his official website, McIlroy will also play in the Valero Texas Open a week before attempting to win the grand slam at Augusta National. 

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans has been a two-man PGA Tour event since 2017. 

Nick Hardy and Davis Riley are the defending champions whilst Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay won the year prior. 

The news of McIlroy's addition will be a welcome boost for tournament organisers. 

Steve Worthy, chief executive of the Fore!Kids Foundation which runs the event, said: "Both of these players have competed for Europe in Ryder Cup competition, so they are very accustomed to team play

"It's always fun to see close friends partner in our unique format, and with their experience they will be both fan and on-course favourites."

At the time of writing, it is also unclear whether McIlroy will tee it up at the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links over 18-21 April. 

McIlroy was in the field last year but withdrew after his horrific showing at the 2023 Masters. 

The decision was a costly one for McIlroy as it meant he reportedly missed out on 25 per cent of his 2023 player impact program bonus [PIP] bonus. 

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PGA Tour players were only allowed to miss one of the elevated events to be eligible for the entirety of their PIP bonus last year. 

McIlroy chose not to play Sentry Tournament of Champions last January and therefore his decision reportedly cost him $3,000,000 in PIP money. 

It is unclear if McIlroy was ever officially docked the money. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan later said he had discretion over such matters.

In other McIlroy news, the rules, format and launch date of TGL has finally been confirmed . 

TGL was supposed to launch in January but was pushed back a year after storm damage to its Florida facility. 

• Rory McIlroy implored to make a huge change before 2024 Masters
• Rory McIlroy believes Greg Norman has done Saudi PIF governor "a disservice"

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Rory McIlroy to Rejoin PGA Tour Policy Board, per Report

The world No. 2 resigned his position as a player director on the board six months ago.

• Author: Bob Harig

Six months after resigning his position as a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, Rory McIlroy is apparently set to rejoin the group, at the behest of former U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson.

The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom reported Monday that Simpson is looking to resign his spot among the six player directors and has asked that McIlroy return to take his position.

The PGA Tour declined to comment on the report.

The Guardian cited sources in saying that McIlroy, No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking and a four-time major champion, would return to the board which would also include a position on the board of the newly-created PGA Tour Enterprises.

Such an appointment would need the approval of the 12 members of the PGA Tour Policy Board, which include player directors Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Jordan Spieth and Simpson. A PGA Tour official said that Simpson has not resigned his position.

Spieth replaced McIlroy on the board last fall after the Northern Irishman said he wanted to focus more of his efforts inside the ropes . When he arrives at the PGA Championship next month in Louisville, Ky., he will return to the place where he won his last major title 10 years ago.

McIlroy, who had been an outspoken critic of the LIV Golf League before softening in recent months , was among the top players who sought changes to the PGA Tour schedule that would enhance player benefits, such as the signature events.

“Rory’s resignation letter, which he sent to the full board, clearly stated that the difficult decision was made due to professional and personal commitments,” said Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour’s commissioner, at the time of his resignation. “Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory—and all his fellow player directors—have invested in this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”

A return to the board could signal McIlroy’s desires to see an end to the stalemate that has seen the PGA Tour and DP World Tour on opposite ends of a framework agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which backs LIV Golf.

McIlroy has met Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF, and while he said again last week that he has no plans to ever join LIV Golf, he has made it clear that he believes a deal is necessary.

“Fundamentally he wants to do the right thing,” McIlroy said of Al-Rumayyan last month at the Players Championship. “I think I've said this before, I have spent time with Yasir and his—the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice ... so (LIV commissioner Greg) Norman and those guys.

“I see the two entities, and I think there's a big ... I actually think there's a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV. I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing.”

LIV Golf is in its third year and has signed several big-name players to lucrative guaranteed contracts, including three of the past six major champions—Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Cam Smith.

Asked how he viewed the distinction between LIV and the PIF, McIlroy said: “I think their disruptiveness and his—their disruptiveness, and then his ... I don't know what the right word is ... I guess his desire to be involved in the world of golf in a productive way.”

Since then, Al-Rumayyan met with Monahan and all of the player directors, including Woods, in the Bahamas .

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Rory McIlroy says his ‘future’ is with PGA Tour after report of LIV offer

Responding to a report that he was “close” to a big-money deal with LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy said Tuesday that there was no truth to it and that he has never received an offer from the three-year-old venture.

“I’ll play the PGA Tour the rest of my career,” McIlroy declared.

In an interview with Golf Channel while in Hilton Head Island, S.C., for this week’s Heritage tournament, McIlroy also reiterated his desire to see the PGA Tour and LIV find a way for their players to face each other more often. One of those rare occasions unfolded last week at the Masters, where defending champion Jon Rahm played against his former PGA Tour colleagues for the first time since defecting to LIV.

Rahm is thought to have received a contract worth well into nine figures to join the Saudi Arabia-backed league. According to a report Sunday from City A.M. , a business-focused media platform based in London, McIlroy was offered $850 million to leave the PGA Tour.

City A.M. reported that McIlroy also was offered 2 percent equity in LIV. The 34-year-old native of Northern Ireland, who has softened his stance on LIV after initially being its most vocal critic among PGA players, said Tuesday he did not “know how these things get started.”

“I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV,” he said. “Again, I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

“It doesn’t mean that I judge people who have went and played over there,” McIlroy continued. “I think one of the things that I have realized over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that?”

Exclusive: Rory McIlroy tells @ToddLewisGC that LIV Golf rumors are false and, "I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career." Tune into Golf Today at 5 p.m. EDT for more. pic.twitter.com/PIPAWMIWGh — Golf Central (@GolfCentral) April 16, 2024

The PGA Tour in June announced plans to partner with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund , which owns LIV Golf. But the circuits are still conducting their business separately. A Dec. 31 deadline for details to be ratified was extended as talks continue, but amid little sign of a deal, players from both sides have expressed concern that golf fans are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the current state of affairs.

After McIlroy said recently that it was “unsustainable” for golf’s highest level to run on parallel tracks, LIV’s Bryson DeChambeau asserted that an alliance between the circuits needed to happen “quicker rather than later just for the good of the sport.”

With 13 LIV players participating in the Masters, DeChambeau had the lead after the first round and finished tied for sixth with another LIV star, Cameron Smith. They were among just eight players to post a total score below par in a tournament won convincingly by the PGA Tour’s Scottie Scheffler, who was described Tuesday by McIlroy as “hands down the best player in the game right now.”

Of the rival circuit’s roster, McIlroy told Golf Channel that there were “obviously some really good players on LIV who would be a great addition to the field this week [at Hilton Head], and they’re not here, and that’s unfortunate.”

“I think the game is way better with all of us together,” he added.

In February 2022, after DeChambeau and some other big-name golfers pledged loyalty to the PGA Tour, McIlroy said LIV Golf was “dead in the water.” The start-up league launched that year and steadily pilfered prominent players, then made a statement about its possible staying power by luring Rahm in December. Less than a month later, McIlroy said LIV was “part of our sport now,” and in February his former agent suggested McIlroy’s changed public stance could be a precursor to a big-money move to the league. Asked about that then, McIlroy said with a chuckle, “You never know — he might know a few things.”

On Tuesday, McIlroy struck an emphatic note about where he intended to play golf.

“My future is here on the PGA Tour,” he said.

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Rory McIlroy PGA Tour Review

Swing and a miss.

By Josiah Renaudin on July 24, 2015 at 11:06AM PDT

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is a shallow, lifeless golf game--rich in technical failings but bankrupt of interesting content. The game types are limited, the number of players and courses is laughably small, and the textures awkwardly pop in and out of view as the camera scrolls across a course. Actually swinging a club and mapping out shots feels right, but whatever goodwill is earned on the course evaporates as you pull away to discover the unimpressive Pro Career mode and the restrictive nature of even the basic Play Now feature. The fresh face on the cover and fancy new game engine can't mask the fact that Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is an undercooked debut that feels like half of a game.

It starts strong, at least, with a detailed tutorial on the various swing styles that provide you with more freedom than ever before. There are three set swing types: a basic analog stick setup where power is determined by the backswing, a more complex version where the follow-through is also taken into account, and the classic three-button press system. If none of the above suits your style, a custom swing option allows you to combine elements of each approach into a personalized pairing of preferences. You can determine if you'd like to be able to hit power shots, zoom in on the trajectory of your ball, see how the wind shapes its flight, and even closely control its spin. Whether you'd like to play Rory McIlroy PGA Tour as a sports simulation or an over-the-top arcade game, the options are there.

No matter what style you choose, taking a smooth backswing and making solid contact with the ball feels authentic, and the putting is challenging without feeling punishing. A dashed line represents the path of your ball from its place on the green to the hole, which takes into account the putt's speed and break. It takes time to correctly read greens with steep hills or sharp ridges, but watching a 20-foot putt bend from right to left and clink at the bottom of the cup is very satisfying.

Other than the lack of load screens between holes and an improved putting system, the swing selection is the only area where Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is bigger and better than what's come before it. The number of real-life courses has been more than halved, with only eight locations that golfers will actually recognize. There are four additional make-believe locations, but none of them make up for the fact that you can't experience the Masters at one of the most famous courses of all time, Augusta National. If that’s not disappointing enough, there are just 12 playable golfers--about a quarter of what previous games have trained us to expect.

Fewer golfers wouldn't be all that damning if the character creator was even passable, but what's available is one of the worst customization tools ever stuffed into a sports game. There are so few options when creating your custom golfer that it's nearly impossible to make a character that you can even pretend looks like you, unless yours happens to match one of the 11 pre-set heads or three body types provided. Instead of feeling like you're starting your own unique career on the PGA Tour, the barebones tools force you to role-play as some anonymous young golfer straight out of a stock photo.

You take this indistinct, cookie-cutter avatar through a single lower-level Web.com event, and from there, you're off to the races. There's no grand buildup, no scenes of your collegiate career, and no narrative to push you forward. You go from tournament to tournament, either competing in quick rounds where you play five or six of the most important holes per day or going through all 72 holes with the hope of becoming the world's number one golfer. But without any sort of subsidiary content to complement the tournaments--such as a story, drills, or even a schedule to outline your goals--the Pro Career can quickly devolve into an unexciting slog devoid of drama.

The only saving grace is the fact that your character raises levels, earns new clubs, and unlocks additional outfits just about every time you complete a round of 18. This sense of progression makes the gauntlet of tournaments much more palatable, as you're able to see your power, accuracy, and spin vastly improve and lead to pretty shots and even prettier scorecards worth hanging on the fridge. You don't manually add points to specific aspects of your game, but you can choose from different packages that might focus on power, accuracy, or more balanced play.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour fails to pair its solid mechanics with diverse and interesting content, and its myriad technical failings drag the otherwise picturesque courses into the dirt.

Unfortunately, the bleak only gets bleaker as you venture outside of the career, where the online community-based Country Club and popular modes like Skins, Best Ball, and Battle Golf have all been removed. Online tournaments and head-to-head play give you some reason to test your created golfer against players more savvy than the AI, but the utter lack of gameplay variety is disappointing.

If you find yourself hungry for something--anything--new to grab on to, a fresh Night Club Challenge mode is available. This extended series of challenges has you landing balls in small circles and through floating hoops to earn points, but a mid-air nitrous boost just isn't enough to make target practice drills any fun. You can earn three stars per level--similar to most popular mobile games--but the deeper you travel down the road of challenges, the less it feels like golf.

Even outside this neon-lit, objective-based playground lie moments that, again, don't feel like anything you'd find on the real PGA Tour. Sinking birdie putts as your created player often leads to a shot of him or her awkwardly busting out the robot or the sprinkler--and while I don't think golf needs to be some sacred pursuit devoid of humor, the celebrations feel completely out of place.

Additionally, the commentary sporadically mismatches its messages with what's actually taking place on-screen. Even though I sliced my ball out of bounds and into the trees at St. Andrews, both commentators talked about how unfortunate it was that I just hit it into the water--despite my ball being completely dry. After that, they mentioned how my approach shot had too much speed and not enough backspin as they watched it softly land on the back of the green and spin backward toward the front hole location. Like most other aspects of the game, the commentary is careless.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour fails to pair its solid mechanics with diverse and interesting content, and its myriad technical failings drag the otherwise picturesque courses into the dirt. There are just too few courses and golfers to keep you playing, and even the limited game modes available don't have anywhere near the complexity or depth we've come to expect. Whether you want to call it a shank, a duff, or a whiff, all that really matters is that Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is a poor effort from a series that was looking to make a splash in its generational debut.

• Leave Blank
• Different swing styles give players more control on the course
• Putting is both challenging and rewarding
• Disappointingly small roster and course selection
• Dull career mode weighed down by paltry character creation tool
• Textures pop in and out of focus constantly
• Most of the interesting modes you’ve come to expect are absent

About the Author

Josiah Renaudin

• @JosiahRenaudin

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Rory McIlroy breaks silence on sensational PGA Tour U-turn after farcical LIV Golf claims

R ory McIlroy has opened up about his dramatic return to the PGA Tour's policy board this week, after initially deciding to step away to concentrate on his golfing performance.

Speaking to Sky Sports about his decision to take up a director role again, McIlroy stated: "I'd rather the men's golf professional landscape survived this, so I'm happy to do my bit." Negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which funds LIV Golf , have apparently hit a wall since the unexpected framework agreement was publicized last June.

McIlroy, who has been a key figure in these discussions, also maintains a friendly relationship with PGA Tour chairman Jay Monahan. The Northern Irishman, who had been an active member of the board from 2021 until November 2023, resigned from his position last year, citing the demanding nature of the role as a challenge while managing his personal commitments.

"I just think I've got a lot going on in my life between my golf game, my family and my growing investment portfolio, my involvement in TGL, and I just felt like something had to give," he explained during the DP World Tour Championship.

"I don't mind being busy, but I just like being busy doing my own stuff," he added. "Something had to give and there's guys that are on that board that are spending a lot more time and a lot more energy on it than I am. It's in good hands and I felt like it was the right time to step off."

McIlroy will take over Webb Simpson's role on the PGA Tour policy board. If voted in officially on Wednesday, he'll be joining forces with golfing greats like Tiger Woods , Patrick Cantlay , Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, and Jordan Spieth .

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After initially taking a hard line against players joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, McIlroy has softened his stance, admitting he may have been "too judgemental." This change of heart led to whispers of McIlroy possibly jumping ship to LIV, with rumours swirling about an eye-watering $850 million offer.

However, at the RBC Heritage, McIlroy quashed such speculation, affirming his commitment to the PGA Tour for life. "I honestly don't know how these things get started," he shared with Golf Channel. "I think I've made it clear over the past two years that I don't think it's something for me. It doesn't mean that I judge people that went and played over there."

"I think one of the things that I've realised over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves and who are we to judge them for that? But personally for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour and it's never been any different."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.

McIlroy upbeat and in contention after Friday 64

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CROMWELL, Conn. – When he said that “everything was just a little bit better” with his game in Round 2 of the Travelers Championship, Rory McIlroy was not quite on target.

There was the matter of that par-3 eighth hole at TPC River Highlands, for instance. One day after McIlroy had recorded his first ace on the PGA TOUR at No. 8, he made his only mishap in Round 2, finding a watery grave and making double-bogey.

“I hit my 8-iron really good,” said McIlroy of the tee shot, which was set up at 177 yards Friday. “But it got hit by a little bit of wind.”

Having made eight birdies in his first 16 bogey-free holes, McIlroy was 10-under and dancing near the top of the leaderboard. He was seemingly perched to go bogey-free for the third time in his last nine rounds (dating back to the RBC Canadian Open), so the double-bogey stung a little.

But he didn’t let it spoil his mood after shooting 6-under 64 to get halfway home in 8-under 132. Instead, McIlroy was quite upbeat, given that one day earlier he had five birdies and an eagle, only to cough up five bogeys. Compared to Thursday, “it was better, way better on the greens,” he said, and the stat sheet supported him.

Rory McIlroy goes back-to-back with birdie on No. 18 at Travelers

McIlroy ranked 89th in Strokes Gained: Putting Thursday and was fourth when he signed his scorecard Friday.

Even the way he followed up the double bogey made him happy. Playing his last hole, the par-4 ninth, McIlroy stuck to his game plan – when the hole is cut on the left side of the green, he takes on the challenge of trying to drive it over trees all the way down the right side of the hard dogleg left right hole.

It might measure out at 392 yards on the scorecard, but when you take it on the line that McIlroy did, it’s probably 325 to reach the green. McIlroy didn’t quite carry all the trees, but he got a fortuitous bounce (and then a free drop when he came to rest up against a TV cable) and was able to make a no-stress par.

“No, not at all,” said McIlroy, when asked if his bold line was in response to being angry about the double bogey. “I felt like it was a pin where you could be aggressive with the tee shot and get it up there.”

As he spoke, McIlroy knew he would be well off of Denny McCarthy’s lead (-15) and would even be sitting behind a small parade of others who had pushed in double figures under par. But he had played a mostly tidy round of golf, put himself into position to make a weekend charge, and he was quite energized.

“I feel ok,” he said. “For being my fourth week in a row, I feel OK.”

Jim McCabe has covered golf since 1995, writing for The Boston Globe, Golfweek Magazine, and PGATOUR.COM. Follow Jim McCabe on Twitter .

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