Rory McIlroy reveals he is "not" enjoying his seat at PGA Tour table
"Not what I signed for whenever I went on the [PGA Tour] board," reveals Rory McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy has revealed he is "not" enjoying having a seat at the PGA Tour table at this very moment in time.
McIlroy, 34, first served as the chairman of the PGA Tour's player advisory council in 2021 and then joined the PGA Tour Board as a player director in 2022.
But in light of the current golfing landscape that now sees the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) bid to get their shock framework agreement passed in the courts, McIlroy admits his role as a player director is not quite the one he initially signed up to last season.
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The new entity, PGA Tour Enterprises, was created following the June 6 announcement with Saudi PIF.
According to Golfweek, the PGA Tour has whittled the list of companies in the running as private equity partners in its new for-profit entity down to just five groups.
These companies include Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liberty Strategic Captial, Acorn Growth Companies, Eldridge Industries and Friends of Golf.
Endeavor told Spotico last week its bid to work with the PGA Tour had been rejected.
It is understood preferred options from the five groups in the mix are being presented to the PGA Tour's board of directors this week, of which McIlroy is involved.
Should the merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi PIF (the bankrollers of the Tour's rival LIV Golf League) indeed go through, it will heavily reshape the elite level of men's professional golf as we know it.
The initial December 31, 2023, deadline for a PGA Tour / Saudi PIF merger to become finalised is "likely to be pushed back due to a range of issues", according to Bloomberg.
McIlroy was pressed by the media ahead of this week's DP World Tour Championship in Dubai as to whether he is enjoying his role as player director on the PGA Tour right now, to which he replied:
McIlroy was also quizzed by reporters on whether he thinks a deal will even get done between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF in 2024.
The World No.2 just wants a verdict, and fast.
He also believes "it's not a sure thing".
McIlroy said:
Tiger Woods became the sixth player to sit on the PGA Tour's policy board in August, and he was called in to a "significant board meeting" at PGA Tour HQ yesterday.
Woods joined McIlroy, Webb Simpson, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman and Peter Malnati as players on the board.
With now half of the 12-seat board backed by players, it means the players have greater control over the PGA Tour's future.
Hence why both Woods and McIlroy are having a major say on shaping the PGA Tour.
McIlroy and Woods' tech-infused golf league (TGL) will tee off in January 2024.
Here's all you need to know about TGL
What do you make of McIlroy's comments about being on the PGA Tour Board of Directors? Has he been sold down the river? Share your comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.
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