Rory McIlroy: I Want the PGA TOUR to Be More ‘Cut-Throat’

Rory McIlroy said he would be in favor of the PGA TOUR being more “cut-throat,” meaning fewer TOUR cards and more exclusivity, making it harder to play on the world’s best professional golf circuit.

Earlier this year, the PGA TOUR said it would revise the Signature Events and how they are played. The two revisions pertain to field size and a Lifetime Achievement Exemption to recognize Tiger Woods, who will be eligible to play in the events.

Tiger Woods Gets His Own Exemption Category Into Signature Events

However, McIlroy thinks things need to go a step further. He believes fewer TOUR cards need to be awarded, allowing for the best players to be in fields, making it more difficult to win and truly weeding out the less competitive players:

“No, I mean, I’m all for making it more cut-throat, more competitive. Probably won’t be very popular for saying this, but I’m all for less players and less tour cards, and the best of the best."

Credit: Sportsnet

He went on to say that some events need to be up to those who are hosting them:

"I think, when all these signature events were thought of, we were thinking no cut, but if it's important enough, or if it's that important to Tiger (Woods) and Jack (Nicklaus) and if Arnold (Palmer) were alive, if it was important enough for him, then it's their tournament, at the end of the day, and they can do whatever they want. I could have went either way, but if it's important enough to those guys, then we'll have a cut."

To be clear, this does not mean that the less competitive guys would be barred from the events altogether. The Signature Events should be made up of the most talented players, and they should be able to play their way in:

“There’s ways to play into it. It’s trying to get the top guys versus the hot guys, right? I think that creates a really compelling product, but a way that you don’t have to wait an entire year for your good play to then get an opportunity. That opportunity presents itself straight away. You play well for two or three weeks, you’re in a designated event. You know then if you keep playing well you stay in them.”

Cover Image via The Independent