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‘For the rest of my career’: Rory McIlroy reiterates stance amid LIV Golf rumor

In a Tuesday interview from the RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island, Rory McIlroy addressed a rumor that said he could be heading to LIV Golf.

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If there was ever any chance Rory McIlroy would leave the PGA Tour for a lucrative contract with LIV Golf, he might have put an end to that possibility with one brief interview Tuesday.

Speaking to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on-site at this week’s RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island, S.C., McIlroy denied a recent rumor that he was contemplating a move to LIV Golf. City AM , a London-based financial paper, reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources, that “McIlroy is close to joining LIV Golf.”

McIlroy addressed it at Harbour Town.

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy told Lewis. “I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. Again, I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me. Doesn’t mean I judge people that have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I have realized over the past two years is that 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.”

McIlroy has long been one of the PGA Tour’s biggest defenders and LIV critics since the start-up league came to fruition a couple years ago, although he felt blindsided when the two sides announced last June they were working on a merger.

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

“It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel like a sacrificial lamb,” said McIlroy, less than 24 hours after the deal was made. “[I’m] feeling like I’ve put myself out there and this is what happens.”

In the time since the merger — which is still pending — McIlroy has softened his stance on LIV, at least publicly. Two of his 2023 Ryder Cup teammates, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton , joined LIV for the 2024 season.

In an appearance on Gary Neville’s The Overlap a few months ago, McIlroy called it “a smart business move from Jon.”

“It’s opportunistic,” McIlroy told Neville. “I think he sees that things will come back together and he’s in a lucky position. There’s not one person that wouldn’t want him on our Ryder Cup team because of how good he is, so he was in a great position where there wasn’t a ton of risk involved for him to go. I’ve got no problem with him going if that’s what he wants to do and he thinks that’s the right decision for him and his family. Who am I to say any different at this point?”

On Tuesday, McIlroy added he’s not sure where the recent rumor about a PGA Tour departure started, but over the past few months he’s learned to keep an open mind.

“I’m sure there’s been players who are still playing on the PGA Tour that have talked to the guys from LIV and had offers and whatever,” he said. “But I have no idea [where the rumor started]. It’s never even been a conversation for us. It’s one of those things, it’s unfortunate that we have to deal with it and this is the state that our game is in, but yeah, I’m obviously here today and I’m playing the PGA Tour event next week and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”

McIlroy is paired with another Ryder Cup teammate, Ludvig Aberg , for the first two rounds of the RBC Heritage, which is one of the Tour’s big-money Signature Events. Aberg is coming off a runner-up finish in his major debut at the Masters; McIlroy was T22 at Augusta. They tee off at 1:40 p.m. ET on Thursday and 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

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As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of the sport’s most-read news and service websites. He spends most of his days writing , editing, planning and wondering if he’ll ever break 80. Before joining GOLF.com in 2015, he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., he resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and two kids. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Rory McIlroy shuts down LIV Golf rumors, commits to playing PGA Tour for remainder of career

A report on monday linked mcilroy to a potential move to the pga tour's rival league.

Rory McIlroy on Tuesday quickly squashed rumors of a potential blockbuster move to LIV Golf ahead of the 2024 RBC Heritage. Speaking to Golf Channel's Todd Lewis , McIlroy denied  a report  that had surfaced Monday suggesting he had been offered $850 million and an equity stake in the league, while he also committed to the PGA Tour for the long haul. 

"I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career," McIlroy said. 

McIlroy became the pseudo-spokesperson for the PGA Tour when LIV Golf first became a threat more than two years ago. Opposing LIV Golf at every turn, the Northern Irishman has since softened his stance due in large part to the June 6, 2023 announcement which revealed the two entities were working on a deal to combine commercial operations. 

"I honestly don't know how these things get started," McIlroy said. "I've never been offered a number by LIV and I've never contemplated going to LIV. 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 I judge people who have went to play over there. I think one of the things that I've realized over the past two years is that 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."

At the Canadian Open last summer, McIlroy lamented that he felt he was treated like a "sacrificial lamb" in the battle between the two leagues. The 34-year-old then resigned from the PGA Tour policy board this past fall and has distanced himself from the inner workings of a potential deal between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (LIV Golf's financial backers) while even removing himself from a group chat of the PGA Tour's top players.

"No idea [where this rumor originated from]," McIlroy continued. "I think over the last two years there have been so many rumors of guys. I think the one thing that I have realized as well is guys need to keep an open mind, and I'm sure there's been players who are still playing on the PGA Tour that have talked to the guys from LIV and had offers and whatever. But, yeah, I have no idea. It's never even been a conversation for us, and it's just one of those things that's unfortunate that we have to deal with and this is the state that our game's in. I am obviously here to today, and I'm playing this PGA Tour event next week and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career."  

The PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian PIF's leadership met last month in The Bahamas for what was an introductory conversation between PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and members of the PGA Tour policy board. PGA Tour commissioner and PGA Tour Enterprises CEO Jay Monahan told the membership that the meeting was "constructive."

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‘I can be helpful’: Rory McIlroy hopes to unite golf with return to PGA Tour board

• PGA, LIV Golf and DP World Tour aiming to strike deal
• The 34-year-old spoke to Webb Simpson about taking his seat

Rory McIlroy has said “hard feelings” will need to be put aside to achieve peace in golf’s civil war but believes he “can be helpful” if he returns to the PGA Tour policy board.

As first reported by the Guardian on Monday , McIlroy is set to rejoin the PGA Tour board just months after stepping down. The 34-year-old will hope to assist in striking a deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.

McIlroy has previously said that he and Patrick Cantlay “see the world quite differently,” however, and also had an exchange of views with Jordan Spieth, another player-director, in February. Spieth had suggested the Tour’s multi-billion dollar deal with Strategic Sports Group meant investment from the PIF might not be needed.

“I think I can be helpful,” McIlroy said when asked about his expected U-turn before the Zurich Classic, where he will partner his Ryder Cup teammate, Shane Lowry, in the team event in New Orleans.

“I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess.

“When Webb [Simpson] and I talked, and he talked about potentially coming off the board, I said: ‘Look, if it was something that other people wanted, I would gladly take that seat’, and that was the conversation we had.

“I think that’s the whole reason. I feel like I can be helpful,” McIlroy added. “I feel like I care a lot and I have some pretty good experience and good connections within the game and sort of around the wider sort of ecosystem and everything that’s going on.”

Asked how he would achieve unification in the game given his differences of opinion with fellow players, McIlroy said: “Compromise, but also try to articulate your points as well as you can, and try to help people see the benefits of what unification could do for the game and what it could do for this tour in particular.

“We obviously realise the game is not unified right now for a reason and there’s still some hard feelings and things that need to be addressed, but I think at this point, for the good of the game, we all need to put those feelings aside and all move forward together.”

McIlroy said that he had approached Lowry about teaming up in New Orleans, having previously resisted repeated overtures from the two-times Masters champion , Bubba Watson.

“I basically didn’t want to ask Rory because I didn’t think that he would want to come and play,” Lowry said. “Then he was the one that said it to me and I was like, absolutely.”

“The Wednesday after the Ryder Cup we had a nice few drinks together. We talked about it that day and then he sent me a text around Christmas time and it was a nice little present for me to get,” he added. “I like playing golf from the middle of the fairway, so I’m looking forward to this week.”

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Players 2024: Rory McIlroy sees PGA Tour opportunity amid 'disconnect' between PIF and LIV

Kevin C. Cox

For much of LIV Golf’s existence over the past two-plus years, the upstart league and its financial backer, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, have in many eyes appeared to be one and the same. That simply is not the case, with LIV being only a slice of investment from PIF’s $600 billion in assets.

That’s a critical distinction to players such as Rory McIlroy, who on Sunday at the Players Championship, after tying for 19th, suggested that it is in the PGA Tour’s best interest to get “closer” to PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan if a potential $1 billion deal is to be accomplished.

MORE: Rory McIlroy's evolving stance on PIF and LIV

Several players confirmed at TPC Sawgrass over the week that the PGA Tour has encouraged members of its policy board to meet with Al-Rumayyan, and that those meetings could take place as early as this coming week.

“I think it should have happened months ago, so I’m glad it’s happening,” McIlroy said of the potential meetings. “Hopefully, that progresses conversations and gets us closer to a solution.”

McIlroy, who resigned from the policy board last November and quashed talk more recently of him going to LIV, said he has spent time with Al-Rumayyan and believes that “the people who have represented him in LIV, I think have done him a disservice—so [Greg] Norman and those guys.

“I see the two entities, and 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.”

Fundamentally, McIlroy said, Al-Rumayyan “wants to do the right thing.”

‘Look, they're a sovereign wealth fund,” McIlroy said. “They want to park money for decades and not worry about it. They want to invest in smart and secure businesses, and the PGA Tour is definitely one of those, especially if they're looking to invest in sport in some way.”

Of course, PIF already has numerous investments in sports, including soccer and auto racing, and it was reported this past week that the Saudis have presented a $2 billion bid to merge the ATP and WTA pro tennis tours.

McIlroy cautioned that the current state of affairs, with two entities currently holding very different forms of competition and some players secured by LIV through the late 2020s, will require patience to be worked out.

“I don't know if they're going to see that all the way out, but I definitely see LIV playing in its current form for the next couple years anyway, while everything gets figured out,” he said. “I don't think this is an overnight solution. But if we can get the investment in, then at least we can start working towards a compromise where we're not going to make everyone happy, but at least make everyone understand why we're doing what we're doing.”

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Rory McIlroy has revealed two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson 'hounded' him for years to play in the PGA Tour's pairs event. 

The Northern Irishman is teeing it up in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the very first time this week. 

Over the years, the hit-and-giggle stop has never truly been on his radar.

He has never wanted to play four tournaments in a row, especially when major season kicks in. 

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That changed after the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy when a perhaps drunken McIlroy and Shane Lowry agreed to form a team. 

"I like playing golf in the middle of the fairway," joked Lowry . "So I'm looking forward to this week."

McIlroy was asked by a reporter how close he was to playing this tournament in the past. 

"A few people have asked me over the years," he said. 

"Bubba Watson hounded me for years to come play this with him and I politely declined every time."

McIlroy said it had nothing to do with not liking Watson before Lowry chimed in: "Rory is probably like No. 1 on people's lists to come play here with."

So why did McIlroy decide 2024 was the year to make his long-awaited appearance?

"I just thought it would be fun to do, going and playing here with a friend and enjoying a week in New Orleans," he said. 

"And going to eat some good food at night and trying to play some good golf during the day. I thought it would be a fun week."

How does Lowry rate their chances? 

"I think we're good for each other," he said.  

"I think we'll be good for each other on the course. We'll enjoy doing it, which is a big part of it, as well. 

"Whenever we're out there and competing, you want to enjoy it, as well. 

"At the end of the day when it comes to it, we are competitors, and I think we're two very competitive people, and when we get to the first tee on Thursday, we're there for one reason, and yes, it'll be to enjoy it, but it'll be to give ourselves a chance to win the tournament."

Added McIlroy: "I'm excited to be in a new place. As I said before, we spend our whole lives going back to the same cities, the same golf courses and the same routines, so to do something a little different is nice."

Elsewhere, McIlroy has confirmed he is poised to return to the PGA Tour 's policy board. 

The golfer quit the role five months ago, seemingly wanting to distance himself from the off-course bickering with LIV Golf . 

But it appears he has been asked to return by those involved in the negotiations. 

McIlroy said he will return if he is 'wanted'.

He said there appears to be a stalemate between the North American circuit and their nosy rival.

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PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf merger explained: What it means for Ryder Cup, Rory McIlroy and for golf's future?

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf announced on Tuesday they are merging to form "a new collectively owned" entity; the decision comes less than two weeks before the third major championship of the men's golf season, the US Open

Wednesday 7 June 2023 17:00, UK

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The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf stunned the sporting world on Tuesday when announcing they are to form "a new collectively owned" entity. But what do we know so far about the shock merger, what does it mean for the Ryder Cup and golf's future, and how have the players reacted?

What has happened?

LIV Golf, launched in 2022, was able to lure some of golf's biggest names away from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, with players like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter among those to sign up and claim a share of the staggering sums of money being offered.

The new entity was bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) - owners of Newcastle United - and critics accused it of being a vehicle for the country to attempt to improve its reputation in the face of criticism of its human rights record.

PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf agree to stunning merger

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After over a year of disharmony between the various tours, resulting in multiple lawsuits being filed and the suspensions of numerous LIV golfers from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, Tuesday's deal hopefully signals the end of such rifts.

Key points from PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf merger

• LIV golfers who were suspended indefinitely by the PGA and DP World Tour will be able to re-apply for membership from the end of the 2023 season
• All lawsuits between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV golf will be ended
• Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which funded LIV Golf's emergence, will make a capital investment into the combined entity as part of the agreement "to facilitate its growth and success"
• A "comprehensive evaluation of LIV Golf to determine how best to integrate team golf into the professional game" will take place
• LIV Golf's 2023 schedule will continue as planned

PGA Tour commissioner Monahan, who had previously ruled out an agreement with LIV , said: "After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love."

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The decision to merge comes less than two weeks before the third major championship of the men's golf season, the US Open. For parts of 2022 and 2023, the majors were the only times LIV Golf players were included in the same field as PGA Tour and DP World Tour players.

How did the players react?

The move was announced to players in a letter from Monahan on Tuesday.

Golf reacts to shock merger

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It read: "Today is a momentous day for your organization and the game of golf as a whole.

"The PGA Tour - your Tour - is leading the formation of a new commercial entity to unify golf, one that sees the end of the disruption and distraction that has divided the men's professional game for the better part of three years."

Mickelson, who has become a de-facto spokesperson for the LIV Tour over the last year, tweeted: "Awesome news".

Awesome day today 😊 https://t.co/qUwVJiydym — Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2023

But some PGA Tour players, including two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, appeared to suggest they discovered the news via social media at the point it broke.

Morikawa tweeted: "I love finding out morning news on Twitter."

I love finding out morning news on Twitter — Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) June 6, 2023

Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with. — Mackenzie Hughes (@MacHughesGolf) June 6, 2023

Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right? 🤷🏻‍♂️ — Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 6, 2023

Was having quite the nice practice session this morning too pic.twitter.com/qWBKuM2yHO — Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) June 6, 2023

Sky Sports News reporter Jamie Weir said: "This is, first and foremost, a complete shock. This came out of the blue,

"I think everybody was surprised by this - I've spoken to a lot of players this afternoon and they knew nothing about this at all, so they were finding out for the first time like a lot of us by scrolling through Twitter this afternoon, finding out bits and bobs here and there."

How will the Ryder Cup be affected?

A big question to come out of the announcement of the merger is how might selection be affected for this September's Ryder Cup teams in Rome.

DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley explained to Sky Sports News: "There's only two criteria to be a Ryder Cup player - you have to be European and you have to be a DP World Tour member. Those are the criteria.

"If you're not a DP World Tour member, you can't play in the Ryder Cup."

European stalwarts Garcia, Poulter, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, who was initially named team captain, all resigned from the DP World Tour in May following further sanctions on players who competed in LIV Golf events last year without permission.

Pelley said of the quartet: "They're not members. They would have to be reinstated. Maybe they will request reinstatement but we will have to see."

Weir added: "Luke Donald will still be the European Ryder Cup captain in Rome this year.

"Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, the backbone of many successful Ryder Cup teams, they will not be in Rome this year.

"Under the DP World Tour criteria, by May you need to have become a member of the DP World Tour to be eligible for the Ryder Cup team. Those guys are not eligible for the Ryder Cup team as things stand.

"That's not to say that come 2024 they might re-join the DP World Tour and they could be on the team in 2025 and Ian Poulter could be captain."

McIlroy reacts to merger: I still hate LIV

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy was often at the forefront of the battle with LIV over the last two years, defending the PGA Tour.

In addressing the media for the first time since Tuesday's announcement, McIlroy said he learned of the deal "pretty much at the same time everyone else did", adding that he felt like a "sacrificial lamb".

McIlroy also said there has to be "consequences to actions" for the golfers that left the PGA Tour but believes the new merger is ultimately "good for golf".

He also maintained that despite welcoming the new entity he still "hates LIV" and he suggested that LIV Golf is not part of the new deal, adding that it's Saudi-backed Public Investment Fund that are joining as a partner.

McIlroy said: "Whether you like it or not, the PIF are going to keep spending money in golf... at least the PGA Tour now controls how that money is spent.

"One of the biggest sovereign wealth funds in the world, would you rather have them as a partner or an enemy? At the end of the day, money talks and you'd rather have them as a partner."

He added: "I think this is going to be good for the game of professional golf. It unifies it and it secures its financial future.

"There's mixed emotions in there as well, as there is going to be.

"At least it means that the litigation goes away, which has been a massive burden for everyone involved with the tour and playing on the tour."

Is Greg Norman still involved?

A key name absent from the press release announcing the merger was Greg Norman, LIV Golf's CEO and one of the leaders in the Saudi-backed Tour's creation.

He has been the target of a lot of criticism from those on the PGA Tour, and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan - who holds the position as chair of the newly-formed entity - told CBS he only informed Norman about the merger moments before making it public.

"I made a call just before this and of course he is a partner with us, and all the stakeholders that we have with us they had the call right before this interview," Al-Rumayyan said.

Sky Sports golf expert Dame Laura Davies said of that revelation: "It sounds like it's been a bit cloak and dagger; if Greg Norman didn't know about it, then if I was Greg Norman then I would feel like one of the losers in this deal because you would have thought he would have been at the forefront."

Weir added on Norman: "He's conspicuous by his absence in that statement.

"He's been an agent of disruption for Saudi Arabia over the past 12 months; he's ruffled a lot of feathers. There was a lot of people saying that for there to be some kind of consensus and common ground he would have to be moved to one side - it appears that might now well be the case."

Sky Sports News' Jamie Weir:

"There are a lot of unanswered questions. One of them is how will men's professional golf look next year?

"The PGA Tour have already created this new schedule for next year with designated events - how are they going to look now? There will be a DP World Tour schedule and will LIV continue in its own form?

"For the rest of this season it will continue presumably as normal but next season, will we see these 54-hole shotgun start tournaments with the Fireballs and the Majesticks? Perhaps not. All of this still needs to come out in the wash.

"What does it mean this Saudi involvement in golf? Deep in the statement, it says PIF now have first refusal on anybody else wanting to invest in the PGA Tour. Essentially now Saudi Arabia have a much larger stake in men's professional golf than they did before.

"And the big, big question is what happens with the players? The players that stayed loyal and the players who will be coming back.

"There needs to be some form of sanction for those players, I think is what a lot of the PGA Tour loyalists will feel. The players are understandably pretty aggrieved and a lot of them feel those huge sums of money they turned down, will they be recompensed for that and will there be any sanctions for these guys coming back?

"It's been a crazy 12 months for the game of golf. I don't think this is going to go away any time soon."

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Rory McIlroy Says He Feels 'Like a Sacrificial Lamb' in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf Merger

The golfer, who has been a vocal critic of the breakaway tour, said on Wednesday that he was never offered money to join the Saudi-backed organization

Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP

Rory McIlroy , a longtime critic of LIV Golf, is speaking out about the merger between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed tour.

On Wednesday the 34-year-old golfer met with members of the media, one day after the unexpected news was announced. “It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb and feeling like I’ve put myself out there and this is what happens,” the four-time major winner, who learned about the merger via social media , said. Yet despite widespread reports that McIlroy reportedly turned down $500 million to join LIV, he set the record straight , telling reporters, “I was never offered any money [from LIV]."

Last year , Tiger Woods rejected an offer "in the neighborhood" of $700 to $800 million to join LIV Golf, the group's CEO Greg Norman claimed.

In his comments, McIlroy did not mince words about his dislike for the breakaway tour — even if he conceded that it would eventually “be good for the game of professional golf.”

“There’s a lot of things still to be sort of thrashed out,” he said in Toronto, one day before competing in this week’s RBC Canadian Open. “But at least it means that the litigation goes away, which has been a massive burden for everyone that’s involved with the tour and that’s playing the tour, and we can start to work toward some sort of way of unifying the game at the elite level.”

McIlroy continued later: “If you’re thinking about one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds in the world, would you rather have them as a partner or an enemy? At the end of the day, money talks, and you would rather have them as a partner.”

Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

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Yet the golfer, who is a board member of the PGA Tour, said his mission is to “protect the PGA Tour.”

"I still hate LIV. I hope it goes away and I fully expect that it does and I think that's where the distinction here is,” he said. “This is the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the PIF. Very different from LIV. All I've tried to do is protect what the PGA Tour is and what the PGA Tour stands for, and I think it will continue to do that."

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Webb Simpson offers to resign from PGA Tour board. But only if McIlroy replaces him, AP source says

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the second hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Patrick Cantlay waves after making a putt on the fifth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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A plan is in place for Rory McIlroy to rejoin the PGA Tour board, a move that would require the board’s approval and could be viewed as a chance to help to improve stalled negotiations with the Saudi financial backers of LIV Golf.

McIlroy resigned from the board in November , saying he felt he could no longer commit the time and energy required with the PGA Tour trying to finalize an agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

The deal with PIF was not finalized, and the PGA Tour instead took on Strategic Sports Group as a minority investor in a deal that could be worth as much as $3 billion.

Webb Simpson, one of the six player directors on the PGA Tour board and PGA Tour Enterprises board, has submitted a letter saying that he wants to resign as a player director but only if McIlroy replaces him, according to a person who has seen the letter.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the letter was not made public. The board is expected to discuss Simpson’s request as early as Wednesday.

PGA Tour Enterprises is the new commercial entity, though six players serve on both boards.

McIlroy’s resignation in November required the other five player directors — Simpson, Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott and Peter Malnati — to elect a player to serve out the term through 2024. They chose Jordan Spieth.

Some of those players have been at odds with McIlroy over the last few months because the four-time major champion has changed his tune about LIV Golf and has suggested LIV players be allowed to return to the PGA Tour without penalty.

Spieth and McIlroy disagreed in February over Spieth’s comments that a deal with PIF was not needed because of the SSG investment, although it would help with unification.

The Simpson case, however, is different. He has not resigned from the board. The person said Simpson’s letter said he would resign if McIlroy could replace him; otherwise, he would stay on the boards.

The person said Simpson indicated the board currently does not have a European player — five are Americans and Scott is Australian.

SSG in a consortium of American sports owners, led by the Fenway Group, and McIlroy has an affiliation with Fenway through the new TGL team league due to start play in January.

The Guardian, which first reported McIlroy’s potential move back to the board , also noted McIlroy has a good relationship with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor.

Al-Rumayyan met with the player directors — he even played nine holes with Woods — in the Bahamas a week after The Players Championship last month. Spieth described that meeting as a chance to talk while figuring out the next step.

There have been no reports of progress since then.

A London financial newspaper, City A.M., reported last week that LIV had offered McIlroy $850 million to join, based on sources it did not identify. McIlroy quickly shot down those rumors and said he would play the PGA Tour “for the rest of my career.” But he also reiterated his hopes that golf could be unified again outside the four majors.

“The game is better when we’re all together,” he said last week at the RBC Heritage.

The hurdle for any kind of a deal has been how to unify the game. Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson are among players who signed bonuses said to be worth upward of $100 million that led to the divide.

McIlroy said last month at The Players Championship that Al-Rumayyan “wants to do the right thing” for all of golf and that LIV Commissioner Greg Norman and others have done the PIF leader a disservice.

“So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing,” McIlroy said.

SSG’s initial investment of $1.5 billion is for a first-of-its-kind equity ownership program. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a February memo that $750 million in aggregate equity would be granted to 36 players based on career performance, last five-year performance and Player Impact Program results.

Those players are to learn details of how much they receive this week.

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Rory McIlroy reveals shocking insight into PIF chairman amid PGA Tour LIV Golf blockbuster

Rory McIlroy knows who Yasir Al-Rumayyan is and after his Thursday round at the RBC Canadian Open, he provided some surprising details.

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As one of the biggest names on the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy is the guy who answers a lot of the questions surrounding the new merger between the Tour, the DP World Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. After his first round at the RBC Canadian Open Thursday, he talked about the new chairman of the global golf entity, Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

“I played a pro-am with Yasir in Dubai a few years ago. And then I’ve seen him — I was with him at a Formula 1 race randomly a couple of years ago in Austin. I saw him in Dubai at the end of last year,” McIlroy said.

“So he’s obviously been in and around the golf world and obviously the wider sports world. So he’s sort of, he runs in the same circles as a lot of people that I know.”

Earlier this week, Alan Shipnuck of FirePit Collective wrote a story about LIV Golf, what will happen to that league, and a little more about who Al-Rumayyan is.

Many know who Al-Rumayyan is, and many golfers have interacted with him, like McIlroy.

Al-Rumayyan loves the game of golf and is the man who pushed for the creation of Golf Saudi back in 2019, per Shipnuck’s story. Since he is a fan of the game, it seems that is one of the reasons for his interest in expanding the game and being so involved. His presence doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I would say he’s an avid golfer. I think he really does like the game of golf,” McIlroy said. “He likes playing it. He’s a very impressive man — Harvard Business School. He Runs 7 or 800 billions worth of dollars and invested in a ton of different companies. He’s a brilliant, impressive man.”

McIlroy acknowledges that Al-Rumayyan is someone that has a lot of business knowledge. He knows that the PGA Tour is a business, and at the end of the day, he plays golf for a living.

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Rory McIlroy returns to PGA Tour Policy Board in bid to end LIV Golf turmoil

Rory McIlroy has made the surprise decision to rejoin the PGA Tour policy board in the effort to help steer through a deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund after resigning his position as a player director six months ago.

McIlroy quit the role in November, citing “professional and personal commitments” , although the world No 2 later admitted to “feeling like I was just banging my head against the wall” as the Tour’s negotiations with PIF all but broke down.

And despite Tiger Woods and the other player directors staging a “positive” meeting with Yasir Al Rumayyan – the PIF governor and chairman of LIV Golf – in the Bahamas last month, the talks seemingly remain in stalemate with no merger imminent.

McIlroy’s U-turn – which is almost certain to be ratified in the next few days – could be highly notable. Since he left the board, the Tour has signed up US private investors Strategic Sports Group which has already injected $1.5 billion into the circuit. LIV reacted to this by luring Jon Rahm with a £450 million and there are fears that if the Saudis are not brought into the fold that they could entice even more big names across.

SSG recognises the risk in the continuation of the Civil War and it is understood the consortium led by Liverpool FC owners Fenway Sports is not only fully behind McIlroy’s return but helped engineer it. Webb Simpson, the former US Open champion, is another who believes that a deal is vital to unify the game and has resigned from the board and requested that his place be taken by McIlroy.

The 12 members of the board need to vote unanimously for McIlroy and despite there being factions who, for whatever reasons, think that a PIF deal could and perhaps should be avoided, it verges on the inconceivable that his comeback will not be rubber-stamped.

When asked by Sky Sports why the change of mind, McIlroy’s reply was pointed. “I’d rather the men’s golf professional landscape survived this, so I’m happy to do my bit,” he said. Patrick Cantlay’s reaction to the news could be extremely interesting, regardless of his and his management’s claims that the American Ryder Cup player has no personal agenda and is simply representing the views of the PGA Tour members.

McIlroy has previously said about Cantlay “we see the world quite “differently” and had an exchange of views with Jordan Spieth, another player director, in February after the American declared, in the wake of the SSG announcement, “I don’t think that [a deal with the PIF] is needed”. “We had a pretty frank discussion,” McIlroy revealed before stating he “would not be too happy” with Spieth if he was PIF.

McIlroy’s mission will be to abandon this mindset. Initially, he was perhaps the most vocal opponent of LIV, but since the “‘framework agreement” was agreed with PIF last summer, he has been adamant that the Saudis must be included in the new Tour make-up.

He also vouched for Al-Rumayyan last month, declaring that the breakaway league has not assisted in the reputation of the right-hand man to Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. “Fundamentally he wants to do the right thing,” McIlroy said. “I have spent time with Yasir and the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice .So [LIV commissioner chief executive] Norman and those guys.

“I see the two entities, and 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 finalise that investment, I think that will be a really good thing.”

McIlroy is speaking to the media in New Orleans on Wednesday where he is playing in the Zurich Classic - the PGA Tour pairs tournament - alongside compatriot Shane Lowry.

On the LPGA Tour, Nelly Korda has withdrawn from this week’s this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship, saying she “feels exhausted” after winning the first female major of the season, the Chevron Championship, on Sunday. The 25-year-old had won five events in a row and in her next tournament - which is now likely to be the Cognizant  Founders Cup in New Jersey in a fortnight - will be trying to break the LPGA Tour’s record for most successive victories.

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Report: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy will get huge loyalty bonuses from PGA Tour

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are among the golfers expected to be given equity in PGA Tour Enterprises as a thank you for sticking with the Tour instead of jumping to rival LIV Golf, the Telegraph reported on Wednesday.

Woods will receive a $100 million and McIlroy a $50 million stake in the newly-formed enterprise for not taking lucrative offers from the Saudi-backed LIV as merger negotiations between the two circuits continue to drag on.

A substantial portion of current PGA Tour members will be rewarded with equity in the new for-profit entity, according to a memo sent out in February by commissioner Jay Monahan and seen by Reuters.

PGA Tour Enterprises is majority owned by the Tour and bolstered by a $1.5 billion investment by Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of sports team owners, the memo said.

The program will reward top performing members and legends who helped build the modern PGA Tour, the memo said.

The initial round of player equity grants will total $930 million and will be awarded to 193 PGA Tour members, with the majority of that going to the top 36 players as determined by a performance-based formula, the memo said.

All initial grants will require players to compete in 15 or more events on the PGA Tour and/or complete service requirements commensurate with the value of the grant.

A spokespersonfor the PGA Tour said the Tour could not comment on any detail of the Telegraph report due to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and private financial information.

Rory McIlroy makes his PGA Tour stance clear despite £682m LIV Golf rumours

Rory McIlroy has been the poster boy for the PGA Tour in the battle with LIV Golf, and appears to be committed to the Tour despite one report linking him with a sensational £682m move

• 00:26, 16 Apr 2024

PGA Tour stalwart Rory McIlroy has always remained loyal to the Tour despite having stepped back from his role as the leader in the fight against LIV Golf , and there's little indication that will change.

Since the very beginning of the Saudi Arabia-funded breakaway league back in 2022, McIlroy has remained one of the biggest critics of LIV and those who chose to accept the eye-watering money on offer to quit the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. But after being the poster boy for the Tour in the last two years, McIlroy scaled things back last year in order to focus more on his game and finally complete the career Grand Slam.

He made no secret of that, as he quit the PGA Tour board and even removed himself from a WhatsApp group of Tour players , which took place against the backdrop of tense merger negotiations between PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund - backers of LIV.

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Despite having been one of the staunchest critics of LIV, he has softened his stance in public, even admitting he understood when Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm turned his back on the PGA Tour to join the breakaway series in a £450million deal. Those public comments, coupled with some speculation from his former agent Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler , had led to some loose speculation that McIlroy himself could be gearing up to make the ultimate U-turn.

And on Sunday, a report in City A.M. alleged a deal between McIlroy and LIV Golf was ‘close’, which would see the Northern Irishman would resemble the largest signing in the breakaway series’ history to the tune of £672m ($850m) as well as a 2% stake in the company.

On Thursday at the Masters, LIV Golf CEO Norman followed McIlroy’s group around the iconic Augusta National. However, when asked after the opening round whether he had known Norman was watching on, McIlroy said: “I did not. Didn’t see him.” McIlroy arrived at Augusta National last week hoping to complete the career grand slam by clinching a coveted green jacket. However, the World No. 2 never truly got going and finished one-over as the Masters title once again eluded his grasp .

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And speaking afterwards, McIlroy insisted he didn't want to reflect on the disappointment of missing out, but rather wanted to focus instead on the upcoming RBC Heritage signature event - which takes place this weekend in South Carolina. He said: "I think it's just a matter of me getting my game in a bit better shape going towards the rest of the season.

"I need to take a little time and reflect on this week and what I did well and didn't do so well, and try to make a plan for the next few months, especially from here to the end of July going through major season. They're obviously going to come thick and fast here so I'll hopefully get myself in a bit better form for those last three."

Reflecting on his personal performance at Augusta, McIlroy said: ""I felt like my game was OK, managed it pretty well. Obviously Friday was a really tough day and losing five shots put me in a pretty difficult position going into the weekend. The conditions were pretty tough. The greens were crusty and firm and hard to get the ball super close, and hard to make a tonne of birdies, so once you get seven or eight back going into the weekend here it's hard to make up that ground."

McIlroy will head to South Carolina as one of the favourites in a stacked field, including masters champion Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and breakout star Ludvig Aberg, who finished runner-up to Scheffler at Augusta National. One man who won't be competing, however, is Viktor Hovland, who withdrew after a disastrous showing at the Masters, where he failed to make the cut.

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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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