LA JOLLA, Calif. — A couple of weeks earlier than the Inauguration, Rory McIlroy performed a spherical of golf with President Donald Trump, who has hosted loads of LIV Golf occasions on his programs earlier than.
But, McIlroy, forward of this week’s Genesis Invitational, revealed that the President doesn’t like LIV Golf’s format, which is just 54 holes, employs a shotgun format, and incorporates workforce play.
“It was actually good. I assumed we had dialogue,” McIlroy mentioned of his spherical with the President.
“I realized that he’s not a fan of the LIV format. I used to be like, ‘However you’ve hosted their occasions?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, nevertheless it doesn’t imply that I prefer it.’ So I feel he’s on the Tour’s aspect.”
Simply final week, earlier than the WM Phoenix Open, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Participant Director Adam Scott met with the President in Washington, D.C., to debate the continuing negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF), LIV Golf’s beneficiary. Two days later, Monahan, Scott, and Tiger Woods launched a press release indicating that the President helps convey the 2 sides nearer to a deal that has been in limbo for greater than 18 months. A current report from Rex Hoggard of the Golf Channel indicated {that a} deal may very well be struck within the ‘first quarter’ of 2025.
Regardless of this divide that has plagued professional golf for nearly three years now, ever because the 2022 U.S. Open, McIlroy admitted that he’s higher off now due to LIV’s rise.
“We’ve all accomplished higher from all of this,” McIlroy mentioned.
“Whether or not you stayed on the PGA Tour otherwise you left, now we have all benefited from this. I’ve been on the file saying this lots, like we’re taking part in for a $20 million prize fund this week [at Torrey Pines]. That will have by no means occurred if LIV hadn’t have come round.”
McIlroy added that these negotiations aren’t ‘sophisticated’ and that ‘everybody simply has to recover from’ the fracas.
“All of us need to say ‘Okay, that is the start line and we transfer ahead. We don’t look behind us, we don’t look to the previous.’ No matter’s occurred has occurred and it’s been unlucky, however reunification, how all of us come again collectively and transfer ahead, that’s the perfect factor for everybody,” McIlroy mentioned.
“If individuals are butt damage or have their emotions damage as a result of guys went or no matter, like who cares? Let’s transfer ahead collectively and let’s simply attempt to get this factor going once more and do what’s finest for the sport.”
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Observe him on X @jack_milko.
