Prior to the R&A Celebration of Champions statement late last week confirming that LIV Golf Commissioner, Greg Norman, would not be invited to the annual Champions Dinner during this week’s Open Championship at St. Andrews, Rory McIlroy made remarks Wednesday with the BBC that tensions between the various PGA and affiliated tours and LIV Golf are “splitting the game” and suggest seeking “common ground.”
As a member of the four-player member policy board of the PGA, McIlroy has been most critical of the LIV Golf series and the PGA players who joined.
“I wish it hadn’t got that messy ... in hindsight, there were probably steps that were missed that wouldn’t have made it as messy,” said the four-time major winner.
LIV Golf, who is now offering the largest prize money in golf of $225 million, has been attacked for being sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which faces human rights violations.
“Everyone has to pivot and change and try to be better and hopefully get to that stage but ... all the narrative isn’t good. It’s splitting the game instead of everyone coming together.”
For the first time, McIlroy discussed the increased prize money for the Ladies European Tour due to sponsorship from the Saudi state-owned energy giant Aramco, who also is a global partner of Formula One.
“There’s so much chat about where the money is coming from, Saudi and everything else. They sponsor so many other things. They are all over sport,” McIlroy said.
“I understand people’s reservations with things. But at the same time, if these people are serious about investing billions of dollars into golf, I think ultimately that’s a good thing—but it has to be done the right way, and I think if they were to invest, having it be invested inside the existing structures,” he said. “That’s the thing I’ve tried to advocate for the last few months.
“At this point, if people are wanting to spend that much money into golf, that’s wonderful. I just wish that we could have spent that much money within the structure that has existed for many decades in golf instead of being this big disruptor. Having it be invested inside the existing structures.”
Sentiments of players’ choice had been stated by living golf legend Gary Player; one of five players to have ever won the career Grand Slam of golf and all four majors, and prides himself as an ambassador of golf.
“That’s the one thing that I do not enjoy is to see people on both sides really being critical of the other,” Player said June 12 in a televised interview.
“Golf is such a wonderful game and we must never forget that the heart of the game is the amateur, not the professional. But what saddens me is to see the fighting that’s going on and it’s unnecessary.”
Nine-time major champion Player, who has participated in golf events in Saudi, said “Saudis are our allies, we must never forget that. I hear a lot of detrimental things being said.”
Player added that the players should have the “freedom” to choose their desired tour. “Freedom is on the wane around the world today, so they still have the freedom to choose and we should be grateful for that.”
“But remember the PGA Tour isn’t as strong. So there is a place in the sun for both. And I just hope, everything in an amicable way, and we go from strength to strength, because Golf is a passport to the world.”
“It’s the only sport that I know that enable you at my age hypothetically at 86. To beat your age 3000 times in a row and still compete.”
