Deal to unite golf ‘not any closer’ – McIlroy

Despite discussions between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and Donald Trump, Rory McIlroy says he doesn’t believe a deal to unite golf is “any closer.”

Since Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf, which was founded in 2022 and involving Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau, the sport has become fractious.

The PGA Tour held “constructive” discussions with LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and president Trump at the White House in June 2023.

Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner, stated at the Genesis Open that he anticipated the conflict to “heal quickly” following the discussions.

McIlroy said any efforts to unify the sport are still far off track, and that he doesn’t believe the PGA Tour “needs” a deal.

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

“I believe a deal that brings the best players together once more would welcome a change in the golf narrative.”

McIlroy stated that the PGA Tour’s momentum is “pretty strong,” adding that “TV’s been good and [Woods’ golf league] has hopefully contributed a lot to the overall situation.”

When questioned about why he thought a deal wasn’t close, McIlroy responded, “It takes two to tango.”

He said, “It makes it tough if one party is willing and ready but the other isn’t,” he said.

Over the past few weeks, the landscape might have appeared a little different than it does now.

Before making his most recent attempt to win the Masters, McIlroy will only be able to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship on April 10 through 13.

The only major McIlroy has not yet won, cutting off his current three-week schedule before the Masters.

The 35-year-old said he still needs to decide whether or not he will compete in any additional events before leaving for Augusta.

He said, “I’m going to play these next two weeks, and I’ll see how they go, and then I’ll re-evaluate.”

“I don’t like it if I have three weeks off before the Masters so I can add one event, but I’m still in between whatever event that might be.”

It really depends on how things turn out for these two weeks and how I feel about my game.