Rory McIlroy can say it louder, but not clearer. The future of professional golf goes through an agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf. He already advanced it in Dubai and this Tuesday at Pebble Beach he has raised his bet. He does not conceive of another scenario. Or if he does, he prefers not to imagine it.
“The sooner we can all be together again and start having the strongest possible tournaments, the better for golf. That would be great and great,” the Northern Irishman has ruled. In fact, he even opens the door to a return of the players who are in LIV to the PGA Tour. “In life you have to choose and everyone made their decision. If the player still maintains a category on the Tour, let him return. I don’t think there should be a punishment,” he explained.
There are those who accuse McIlroy of having changed his mind. The world’s number 2 and reigning champion of the Dubai Desert Classic is not hurt to admit it. “Obviously, I have changed my opinion on this because I see where golf is and having a diminished PGA TOUR and a diminished LIV is bad for both parties. It would be much better to be together and move forward together
for the good of the game. That is my opinion,” he affirmed.
In this sense, Rory has revealed that he had a conversation with Tyrrell Hatton last Sunday before the Englishman signed for LIV Golf. A conversation that was very different from the one they would have had a year ago, when McIlroy thought differently. “I told him the same thing I told Jon Rahm: I support your decision if you feel it is right for you. I have spoken quite a bit with him about this in the last month. They negotiated and reached a point where he felt comfortable and he has to do what he believes is right for him. I’m not going to stand in anyone’s way if they feel that the money changes their life. I’ve realized that I’m not here to change anyone’s opinion. I used to think I was, but not anymore. It’s over for me trying to get others to see things the way I see them. That’s not how the world works. They are people I respect, I have spent a lot of time with them and if they feel it is the best decision, I will support them, let them do what they want,” he pointed out.
McIlroy has commented that his change of opinion is due to the negotiation between the PGA Tour and LIV. “We are potentially about to make a deal with the Saudi Sovereign Fund, owner of LIV and I hope we will be together again here at some point”. In this regard, Rory has revealed that a vote was scheduled for Sunday to support or not the agreement in the PGA Tour and the American investment fund (SSG), which was postponed to Monday and has been postponed again. “I feel that this could have ended months ago. The sooner it is resolved and we have clear what is the path to follow, the better for golf”.
McIlroy, even, does not rule out seeing Rahm or Hatton again in the TGL, his project with Tiger on Mondays that was postponed ten months. “Who knows what the landscape will be like in 10 months. All I see now are opportunities. There are tons of opportunities within the game to do great things. Who knows. Tyrrell could be playing TGL in 10 months”.
