New Book Reveals Rory McIlroy’s Reaction to Hearing About the PGA Tour and Saudis’ Framework Agreement

On Monday, we had details on a book excerpt about Phil Mickelson’s involvement in the creation of what eventually became LIV Golf.

As the “LIV and Let Die” book by Alan Shipnuck is released, another excerpt is out that discusses Rory McIlroy being on the front lines in the PGA Tour’s public fight with LIV in 2022 and the first half of 2023.

Shipnuck wrote that McIlroy was just like the rest of the PGA Tour golfers—taken by surprise when the tour announced a “framework agreement” with the DP World Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, who are the financial backers of LIV Golf.

It’s written in the book that McIlroy felt like he was battling against something larger than himself, as the financial threat to the PGA Tour was real. But everything changed on June 6.

Rory McIlroy left ‘heartbroken’ by PGA Tour and LIV merger, claims journalist Alan Shipnuck https://t.co/Q1D2hJSnwk

— Belfast Telegraph (@BelTel) October 17, 2023

The excerpt reads:

“Then the money guys came in — Jimmy Dunne and Ed Herlihy [PGA Tour directors] — and they completely sold him out and kind of broke his heart. Rory learned a hard lesson about the real world. Idealism only goes so far and money always wins.

“Jimmy Dunne is a friend and adviser to Rory going back a long way. He got Rory’s dad into Seminole Golf Club, one of the inner sanctums of golf — Gerry McIlroy was a former bartender and that does not fit the normal Seminole member profile.

“That was all Jimmy Dunne, and yet it was also Jimmy Dunne, in secret, who cold-bloodedly crushed Rory’s hopes and dreams with this [framework] deal.”

After the framework agreement was struck, it came out that Dunne arranged the first meeting with PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and the wheels were then in motion.

It’s still unclear whether a final agreement between the parties will be reached, however, as it has been reported that both sides are far apart on several issues.

Report: PGA Tour evaluating alternative sources of capital beyond current framework agreement with PIF https://t.co/ffCGfVzBNF

— Golfweek (@golfweek) October 16, 2023

The deadline for the deal has been set at Dec. 31, but it was reported that it could be extended if the sides are still making progress towards a deal.

Cover Image via Golfweek