Rory McIlroy says PGA Tour, DP World Tour & PIF merger will be 'good for golf'
- Published
'I still hate LIV' - McIlroy's mixed emotions over merger
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour's shock merger with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will ultimately be "good for golf", says Rory McIlroy.
The world number three had been a firm defender of the PGA Tour as rivals accepted lucrative deals to join the LIV Golf series, funded by the PIF.
Speaking at the Canadian Open, the Northern Irishman said he had "mixed emotions" about the "surprise" deal.
But he added: "[In] 10 years this is going to be good for pro golf."
The four-time major winner continued: "It unifies it and secures its financial future. But there are mixed emotions in there as well.
"It's hard for me to not feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb, feeling like I've put myself out there and this is what happens.
"Removing myself from the situation, I see how this is better for the game of golf, there's no denying it."
Giving his first public response to Tuesday's announcement, McIlroy said how he:
Still hates LIV, but would rather have the PIF as a partner
Has faith in Jay Monahan, despite the PGA Tour commissioner seeming "hypocritical"
Believes the players who joined LIV should be sanctioned
Is resigned to accepting Saudi investment and has "made his peace" with it
Ros Atkins on… How Saudi Arabia bought into golf
'At the end of the day, money talks'
Several players left the American PGA Tour and European-based DP World Tour to join the $2bn (£1.6bn) LIV circuit when it launched last year, and McIlroy, who had been a staunch critic, could not hide his feelings on Wednesday when he said: "I hate LIV. I hope it goes away now."
An agreement has been signed that will combine the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV's commercial operations and rights into a new, yet to be named for-profit company, with PGA commissioner Monahan as its chief executive and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan as chairman.
"All I've wanted to do is protect the aspirational nature of the PGA Tour," said McIlroy, 34. "This company sits above everything. Anyone involved with LIV now answers to Jay.
"Whether you like it or not, the PIF is going to keep spending money in golf. Now the PGA Tour is going to control how that money is spent.
"Would you rather have one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds as a partner or an enemy? At the end of the day, money talks, and you'd rather have them as a partner."
McIlroy has faith in 'hypocritical' Monahan
PGA Tour, DP World Tour & PIF merger: Jay Monahan on "heated" talk with players
McIlroy said he still had confidence in Monahan, who faced calls to resign at an "intense and heated" players meeting at Tuesday's Canadian Open in Toronto, but feels there should be consequences for the LIV defectors.
For example, he believes those who have resigned their membership of the DP World Tour and are now ineligible for the Ryder Cup should not be allowed to play for Europe against the United States in Rome from 29 September to 1 October.
"I've dealt with Jay a lot closer than a lot of those guys have and from where we were a couple of weeks ago to where we are today, I think the future of the PGA Tour looks brighter as a whole," said McIlroy.
"What that looks like for individual players in keeping a Tour card, bringing players back into the fold, that's where the anger comes from.
"I understand that and there still has to be consequences to actions. The people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this Tour, started litigation against it.
"We can't just welcome them back in. That's not going to happen. That's what Jay was trying to get across [on Tuesday]."
Asked if those who turned down LIV deals should be reimbursed, McIlroy replied: "The simple answer is yes. The complex answer is how does that happen?"
McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Hideki Matsuyama were the highest profile players to stick with the PGA and, speaking later on Wednesday, Monahan said "their loyalty will be rewarded".
"Down the road that's something I look forward to being more specific about," he said.
A group representing victims' families and survivors of the 9/11 terror attacks also said it felt "betrayed" by Monahan and the PGA Tour, and that they should be "ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed".
"I told Jay, 'you've galvanised everyone against something and now you've partnered it'," McIlroy added. "Of course I can see how that looks hypocritical.
"The PIF and the Saudis want to spend money in the game of golf and they are not going to stop.
"How can we get that money into the game but use it in the right way? Hopefully this is the way of doing it."
McIlroy has 'made my peace' with Saudi investment
After Tuesday's announcement, Amnesty said the merger is "really just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing".
This week alone, the PIF took over four of the leading Saudi football clubs. They include Al-Nassr, who made Cristiano Ronaldo the world's highest-paid footballer earlier this season, and Al-Ittihad, who confirmed a deal to sign Karim Benzema on Tuesday.
Asked about the increasing Saudi investment in golf, McIlroy replied: "I've made my peace with it.
"I've seen what's happened in other sports and businesses. I've just resigned myself to the fact this is going to happen.
"How do you keep up with people who have more money than anyone else? Let's use the money in the right way."