LOS ANGELES – Rory McIlroy all but confirmed on April 24 that he will return to the PGA Tour’s policy board and is just waiting to be asked.
At a press conference before the start of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans this week, the Northern Irishman was asked to confirm a report that he is coming back to the board that he left in November and will take a seat on the board of PGA Tour Enterprises.
He said: “Not as of yet, no.”
However, the four-time Major champion believes he can be helpful after stalled negotiations for a “framework agreement” between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf following a merger announced last June.
“I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be. I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess,” he said.
McIlory also said he talked to Webb Simpson, who discussed potentially coming off the board.
“I said, look, if it was something that other people wanted, I would gladly take that seat, and that was the conversation that we had,” the 34-year-old said.
“I feel like I can be helpful, and I have some pretty good experience and good connections within the game... but, at the end of the day, it’s not quite up to me to just come back. There’s a process that has to be followed. But I’m willing to do it if that’s what people want, I guess.”
Simpson is on the board with fellow PGA Tour player directors Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods. A vote would be needed for McIlroy’s return, but there should be no issues.
McIlroy added that if he comes back, he would push for unification as “the only way forward for the game of golf”.
He had initially been a sharp critic of LIV Golf, but now would consider compromises and also communicate his point that unification is best for the sport and for the PGA Tour in particular.
While the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have not completed a final merger agreement with LIV’s financiers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the PGA has entered a separate partnership with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of United States-based sports team owners.
McIlroy and Woods are among the golfers expected to be given equity in PGA Tour Enterprises as a thank you for sticking with the PGA instead of jumping to LIV Golf, the Telegraph reported on April 24.
Woods will receive a US$100 million (S$136 million) and McIlroy a US$50 million stake in the newly formed enterprise.
A substantial portion of current PGA Tour members will also be rewarded with equity in the new for-profit entity, according to a memo sent out in February by commissioner Jay Monahan and seen by Reuters. REUTERS
