Does the PGA Tour still need a deal with PIF? Rory McIlroy answers

It’s probably fair to say Rory McIlroy is sick of talking about the PGA Tour vs. LIV merger. In fact, you are probably sick of reading about it.

But the long-pending deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment fund continues to drag on, and while it’s an increasingly insufferable topic to read about, the truth is a finalized deal will have a major impact on what the future of professional golf might look like.

After two years of a standstill, recent discussions involving President Donald Trump, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Tour player director Adam Scott, Tiger Woods and PIF governor (and LIV Golf chairman) Yasir Al-Rumayyan ignited rumors of a deal-making progress.

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But… we’re still waiting. Meanwhile, in the last couple of months, the PGA Tour has added TGL to its arsenal — which has done well ratings-wise — and even seen its TV ratings bounce back the first couple of months of the year.

On Wednesday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which boasts the best field we’ve seen this year, McIlroy was asked — given the Tour’s aforementioned positives — if golf even still needs this deal between the two sides to happen.

“I think the narrative around golf, I wouldn’t say needs a deal, I think the narrative around golf would welcome a deal in terms of just having all the best players together again,” he said. “But I don’t think the PGA Tour needs a deal. I think the momentum is pretty strong. TV’s been good, TGL’s been hopefully pretty additive to the overall situation. I answered this question at Torrey Pines two weeks ago, before, you know, the landscape might have looked a little different than it does now over these past couple of weeks, and I think a deal would still be the ideal scenario for golf as a whole. But from a pure PGA Tour perspective, I don’t think it necessarily needs it.”

It’s important to note his reference to a similar question at the Genesis Invitational last month. There he made it clear the game’s better with the two sides joining together.

“Whatever’s happened has happened and it’s been unfortunate, but reunification, how we all come back together and move forward, that’s the best thing for everyone,” he said. “If people are butt hurt or have their feelings hurt because guys went [to LIV] or whatever, like who cares? Let’s move forward together and let’s just try to get this thing going again and do what’s best for the game.”

Asked on Wednesday what has changed in those couple of weeks since those comments, McIlroy said, “Look, I think it takes two to tango. So if one party is willing and ready and the other isn’t, it sort of makes it tough.”

McIlroy agreed the ideal scenario is the best players competing together more than four times a year, plus an investment into the product from the PIF. How that works, he’s not sure. It’s lingered so long now he’s thought less about the logistics.

“I gave a lot of thought to it a couple of years ago,” he said. “You could create exemption categories that you try to capture who you want to capture, you know, major winners in the last three years, plus player champions, I don’t know. Again, not my department.”

To put a bow on things, after the recent optimism with White Hose meetings, does a deal feel closer?

“I don’t think it’s ever felt that close,” McIlroy said. “It doesn’t feel like it’s any closer.”