LIV Golf + Rory McIlroy Post PGA Tour-PIF Deal? Don’t Bet on It

During Tuesday’s Congressional hearings over the framework agreement among the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), several documents were released that shed some light on the negotiations that took place.

Among some of the more outlandish ones: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy agreeing to play and own a team in LIV Golf once the PGA Tour had control of the league.

While that wasn’t part of the final agreement, it sounds like Rory McIlroy wouldn’t agree to it even if it was.

McIlroy said Thursday after his opening round of 64 in the Genesis Scottish Open:

“If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire; that’s how I feel about it. I’d play the majors, but I’d be pretty comfortable [not playing].”

🗣️’If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire’

Rory McIlroy responds to revelations that he and Tiger Woods could have been offered LIV team ownership as part of the PGA Tour’s proposed merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund ⤵️ #BBCGolf pic.twitter.com/Ig0pAqY7pi

— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) July 13, 2023

While Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, and Xander Schauffele were among those who still had pointed words toward PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, who will be returning to work on Monday after missing a month due to a “medical situation,” McIlroy seemed a bit more understanding of the whole thing.

McIlroy said:

“[The PGA Tour was] negotiating their survival. That’s a very fair thing for a business to do. I’m apathetic to all the noise around it. As long as the tournaments I play keep on existing, I’ll be very happy to play them and be a professional golfer.

“I can obviously understand why Jordan and Xander and a lot of the other guys would feel that way. After everything that’s transpired over the last few weeks, the players are going to find themselves more at the table to try to get whatever that is they want out of it.”

Full programming info for NBC Sports’ coverage of 151st @TheOpen at Royal Liverpool July 20-23 on NBC, USA & Peacock.

Mike Tirico works his 25th Open, @NickFaldo006 returns to the booth, & @wingoz hosts Open Championship All-Access on Peacock.

More: https://t.co/MCztA9J826 pic.twitter.com/pdaCr4S68c

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) July 13, 2023

Players from all three circuits will be playing together next week at the Open Championship, which is the year’s fourth and final major. One thing is for sure: things will look much different by the time they all convene again for next year’s Masters.

Cover Image Via Twitter