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Rory McIlroy has dismissed any sense of imminent peace in golf by insisting golfers who “irreparably harmed” the PGA Tour will not breeze back in to the same domain without penalty.
The shock announcement on Tuesday that the PGA and DP World tours will combine forces with the rebel LIV circuit, courtesy of a multibillion-dollar investment into a fresh commercial entity from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Within that news was confirmation that players who left golf’s ecosystem – including for signing-on fees stretching to tens of millions of dollars – in 2022 will have an opportunity to reapply for membership of the PGA or DP World tours next season.
McIlroy, an impassioned advocate of traditional tours as the Saudis made inroads in his sport, made plain such arrangements cannot be straightforward. Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio García, Brooks Koepka and the Open champion, Cameron Smith, were among those to swap PGA Tour for LIV status.
McIlroy insisted the future of the PGA Tour is “brighter” on account of a PIF deal but pointedly said: “What that looks like for individual players in terms of keeping a tour card, bringing players back into the fold and then that sacrifices other people, that’s where the anger comes from. And I understand that.
“There still has to be consequences to actions. The people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this tour, started litigation against it. We can’t just welcome them back in. That’s not going to happen. And I think that was the one thing that Jay [Monahan, the PGA Tour’s commissioner] was trying to get across yesterday is like, guys, we’re not just going to bring these guys back in and pretend like nothing’s happened. That is not going to happen.
“So I do have confidence in him. I think you ask the people around him that deal with him in a business sense, whether it’s the directors of the board of the PGA Tour or the title sponsors that he deals with. He seems to be a very impressive individual when it comes to business.”
McIlroy’s endorsement will be music to Monahan’s ears. The commissioner has come under intense criticism for a remarkable volte-face, from standing in staunch opposition to all things Saudi and golf to agreeing a commercial alliance with the same. Monahan even brought the 9/11 atrocity into the battle for golf’s hearts and minds a year ago, when seeking to press home why his sport should never deal with Saudi Arabia.
McIlroy sought to distinguish between LIV Golf, the rebel circuit which now seems certain to wither on the vine, and the PIF which controls it. “I still hate LIV,” the Northern Irishman said. “I hope it goes away. And I would fully expect that it does. And I think that’s where the distinction here is. This is the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the PIF. Very different from LIV.”
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As McIlroy spoke, an explainer on the DP World Tour’s website included the following quotes attributed to Monahan: “This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV – including the team golf concept – to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”
McIlroy did concede an element of emotional conflict and “mixed emotions”. He and Tiger Woods backed the PGA Tour and basically played their part in the retention of players as the LIV threat lingered last year. Now, the sworn enemies are allies.
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“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 said.
“Removing myself from the situation, I see how this is better for the game of golf. There’s no denying that. But for me as an individual, yeah … there’s just going to have to be conversations that are had.”
McIlroy and Woods were unaware of the agreement until shortly before it reached the public domain. “I said it to Jay: ‘You’ve galvanised everyone against something and that thing that you galvanised everyone against you’ve now partnered with.’ Of course I understand it. It is hypocritical. It sounds hypocritical.
“The one thing I would say is, whether you like it or not, the PIF and the Saudis want to spend money in the game of golf. They want to do this. And they weren’t going to stop.”
