Report: Rory McIlroy announcement 'deliberate shot' at PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy's made-for-TV match with Scottie Scheffler against Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau spawned from his frustration about the lack of meaningful progress between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's backers, according to a report. 

Per Sports Illustrated, McIlroy is so desperate for the best players in the world to compete against each other again that he is testing the waters. 

"And he will dare anybody to stop him," the report claimed. 

The report added: "McIlroy and his allies want to get a deal done with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, to unify men's golf under the PGA Tour umbrella."

The PGA Tour have declined to comment on the match, details of which were first revealed by a Golfweek report earlier in the week. 

The match between the four golfers will take place in mid-December in Las Vegas and will air on TNT. 

TNT previously broadcast nine editions of The Match, which launched in 2018 with Tiger Woods playing Phil Mickelson. 

McIlroy described the showdown as a 'goodwill event' that 'brings the best together again'. 

Golfweek claim McIlroy, Scheffler, DeChambeau and Koepka will receive appearance fees but will not compete for prize money.

Why is McIlroy so frustrated?

McIlroy was once one of LIV Golf's harshest critics but his stance has softened significantly. 

At the turn of the year, he conceded he was far too judgemental of European Ryder Cup legends who bolted for LIV in 2022. 

He implored the PGA Tour to strike a deal with the Saudi PIF and suggested a global golf league should be created, comprising of the best 80 players in the world. 

Over the last two months he has been somewhat silent on the PGA/LIV divide, but he outlined his frustration at the lack of progress at the season-ending Tour Championship. 

What did McIlroy say?

Asked if he was 'frustrated' about the lack of progress, McIlroy said: "Yeah, of course. 

"I think anyone that cares about golf, I think has to be frustrated. 

"I think anyone that cares about the PGA Tour has to be frustrated because we're -- we, the royal we, we're not putting forward the absolute best product that we can because -- I get the argument that these guys left and that was their choice and whatever.

"I just think that it's gone on long enough. We've got to try to -- I mean, I think everyone is trying to find a solution. It's just a solution is hard to get to."

He added: "I go back to -- even though I was on the wrong side of things, like the U.S. Open with Bryson and I, you're only really going to get that four times a year at most. 

"I think the game of golf deserves having those sort of things happen more than just four times a year."

McIlroy said if a deal doesn't happen 'soon' then the PIF and the Saudis are 'going to look at alternative options.

"I'd say that's the next step in all this if something doesn't get done," he said. 

What he was referring to with that comment remains unclear. 

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