Rory McIlroy (L) and Tiger Woods (R) [Image via Imago]
On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy dropped a huge bomb informing that he won’t be rejoining the PGA Tour policy board as some people were “uncomfortable” working with him. His changed stance towards LIV Golf is reported to be one of the reasons for it as it seems to have “soured” his friendship with Tiger Woods.
McIlroy resigned from his post as one of the six player-director from the PGA Tour policy board in November 2023. In April 2024, The Guardian reported that McIlroy was close to returning to this body as Webb Simpson tendered his resignation and named him as his replacement. A vote for his re-appointment was thus going to be taken.
At that point, it seemed McIlroy’s return was just a matter of moments. However, things have not worked out as many had hoped for. According to reports from Golf Digest, the likes of Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods have voted against his return.
While Rory McIlroy’s relationship with Patrick Cantlay is well documented with the four-time major champion calling it to be “average” at best, he seemed to have fallen out with Spieth. After the investment of the SSG, the American had claimed that the tour no longer needed the deal with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. This led to a huge one-hour phone call between the two golfers.
McIlroy once a staunch critic of LIV Golf, softened his stance this year. He claimed that understood the decisions taken by those who left the tour to play and urged that they should be allowed to return to the Tour without any punishments.
These different visions of McIlroy and Woods has affected their friendship over the past six months. Though it is still cordial, there has been some disagreement between the two golfers regarding the future of golf.
Will PGA Tour policy board’s snub lead to Rory McIlroy leaving for LIV Golf?
The shocking snub of Rory McIlroy by the PGA Tour policy board has raised several questions. One of them is whether this huge development will lead to him leaving the tour and joining LIV Golf?
Despite a difference in visions of McIlroy and his peers, it does not seem like he will leave the tour. Recently, there had been rumors regarding a potential $850 million deal. However, he and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman both claimed the talks were not true and were just “typical white noise“. The golfer also claimed that he will play on the PGA Tour for the “rest of his life“.
On top of it, McIlroy is one of the co-founders of the TGL alongside Tiger Woods. The indoor league which will kick start next year, will have both Woods and McIlroy represent a team as captains.
So unless something more drastic happens, McIlroy will continue to play on the PGA Tour. So far, Woods has not made any statement regarding it. It will be interesting to see what the 15-time major champion has to say as he and the other policy board members continue to work together to help the tour finalize the “framework agreement” with PIF.
