With his 2024 PGA Tour season about to wrap, Rory McIlroy is simply bummed out by the lack of progress made in negotiations with LIV Golf’s backer, the Public Investment Fund, as the sport’s star-power remains frustratingly divided between two circuits.
Since late 2023, McIlroy — who is no longer on the policy board but is on a negotiation subcommittee — has been at odds with policy board members (including Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth) on how the PGA Tour should approach LIV Golf.
McIlroy supports a collaboration that reunites stars and features a global, diversified bent. PGA Tour leadership, though, appears keen on growing the product from within while gradually progressing towards a deal.
McIlroy — who has previously voiced pessimism about the PGA Tour — participated in a meeting with PIF executives in June. Since then, it’s been quiet on the merger front.
Here’s what the 26-time PGA Tour winner said at the Tour Championship about the state of the game.
Rory McIlroy: Lack of progress with LIV “unfortunate”
“More of the same, I guess,” McIlroy replied, when asked by GOLF.com at East Lake to summarize the year. “I thought there would have been more progress made, which is unfortunate. I think at this point, everyone’s just getting bored of it, just getting tired of it. It’s just become a bit of a cloud over golf. But a very niche cloud, y’know?”
“I wish more would have been done, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of willingness from some people to try to fix it.”
McIlroy pointed to the interest generated by his thrilling U.S. Open showdown with LIV’s Bryson DeChambeau — the most-watched Sunday of East Coast golf in 11 years.
“Yeah. I mean, I was on the wrong end of it, but look at the numbers that Bryson and I did at Pinehurst,” McIlroy said.“That’s what needs to happen.”
“[LIV] have a lot of the personalities, you know. The PGA Tour, I mean, we’re here trying to create the best product. You need villains. Otherwise it can get flat.”
Six weeks later, the surprisingly compelling Men’s Golf competition at the Paris Olympics — which, featured LIV and PGA Tour stars competing for medals instead of money — offered yet another enticing reminder of what professional golf could be.
“I still think that the Ryder Cup is the best tournament that we have in our game, pure competition, and I think this has the potential to be right up there with it,” McIlroy said in Paris. “I think with how much of a sh-t show the game of golf is right now and you think about the two tournaments that might be the purest form of competition in our sport, we don’t play for money in it.
“So it speaks volumes for what’s important in sports and what’s important, I think every single player this week has had an amazing experience.”
Unfortunately for McIlroy (and golf fans), an agreement doesn’t appear imminent. As Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, et al. speak glowingly about LIV’s future, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan spent his Tour Championship presser — a rare media session — evading questions via regurgitated platitudes, even when asked directly how many times he’s physically sat in the “same room” with PIF personnel.
“I think the best way for me to respond to that is when you look at where we are right now, we’re in regular dialogue,” Monahan said. “We have the right people at the table with the right mindset. I see that in all of these conversations, and that’s both sides. That creates optimism about the future and our ability to come together.
“But at the same time, these conversations are complex. They’re going to take time. They have taken time, and they will continue to take time.”
McIlroy (-6) is T10 after Round 1 of the Tour Championship, nine back of leader Scottie Scheffler (-15). After addressing his 2-under 69 in the scorching Atlanta heat, the four-time major champion briefly reiterated his big-picture concerns about the PGA Tour.
“I think anyone that cares about golf, I think has to be frustrated. I think anyone that cares about the PGA Tour has to be frustrated because we’re not putting forward the absolute best product that we can. I get the argument that these guys left and that was their choice and whatever. I just think that it’s gone on long enough. I think everyone is trying to find a solution. It’s just a solution is hard to get to.
“Like the U.S. Open with Bryson and I, you’re only really going to get that four times a year at most. I think the game of golf deserves having those sort of things happen more than just four times a year.
“If it doesn’t happen soon, then honestly, I think PIF and the Saudis are going to have to look at alternative options, right? I’d say that’s the next step in all this if something doesn’t get done.”
