sport news Rory McIlroy says LIV-PGA unification is the 'ONLY way forward for golf,' with ... trends now
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Rory McIlroy is hopeful he can help ‘unify’ golf and end the merger stalemate ahead of his likely return to the political fray.
The world No. 2 is in line for a place on the PGA Tour’s policy board five months after leaving the same position in exasperation amid the drawn-out talks between his circuit and the Saudi backers of the LIV series.
Although McIlroy did not confirm if the move has yet been formally ratified, which will depend on a vote of the other policy board members this week, his involvement is seen as key to getting a deal over the line.
With those talks having moved at a crawl over the past 10 months since the shock announcement of a ‘framework agreement’, it has been frequently highlighted that both Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth have publicly stated Saudi investment is not needed.
Those views are at odds with McIlroy’s opinion that having the Saudis onside is the only way to proceed, not least because it will stem some of the poaching of leading players that has characterised the past two years.
Rory McIlroy is in line for a place on the Tour’s policy board five months after leaving the role
McIlroy hits a tee shot on the sixth hole during the final round of the RBC Heritage in SC
Speaking on Wednesday, McIlroy said: ‘I think I can be helpful. 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, who is understood to have tendered his resignation as one of the six player directors on the board so McIlroy could return) 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."
‘That was the conversation that we had. I feel like I can be helpful. I feel like I care a
