Peace deal by 'end of year' as McIlroy tees up with key players in LIV talks

Rory McIlroy will play alongside Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan on Saturday a day after teeing up with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan

Rory McIlroy hopes the presence at the Dunhill Links Championship of the two men centrally involved in talks aimed at ending the split in men's professional golf is a "good sign" progress is being made.

McIlroy, competing with father Gerry in this week's pro-am event in Scotland, will play on Friday at Kingsbarns alongside PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who is paired with Billy Horschel this week.

World number three McIlroy will then tee up with the boss of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) Yasir Al-Rumayyan and South African LIV golf player Dean Burmester at St Andrews on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund underwrites the 48-competitor LIV Golf league which has signed up many of the world's best players over the last three years including Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson.

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan will be in the same fourball along with their professionals on Thursday's day one when they tee off at Carnoustie.

"There’s no better place than the home of golf to try and get everyone together and talking," McIlroy told BBC Sport NI.

"I think it’s a great thing and good sign that Jay and Yasir are going to play together. And obviously you’ve got quite a big contingent over from LIV that are playing in this event."

On Thursday, the McIlroys will play alongside Dunhill chief Johann Rupert, who has spoken of a "need to get peace" in the sport and invited Al-Rumayyan to play in this week's event.

"I think what Johann Rupert the man who runs this event is trying to do is just bring the golf world back together a little bit," added McIlroy.

"If we need to be forced together in some way, he’s trying to do that. I think it will be good. It’s certainly a step in the right direction."

The PGA Tour commissioner and PIF boss were the architects of the widely-publicised framework agreement in June 2023 which ended litigation between the parties and was aimed at healing the fracture in the sport.

To date the negotiations which followed have not been concluded as both tours continue to operate in different orbits.

In the early days of LIV Golf, McIlroy was outspoken in his criticism of the rival tour but his stance has changed to him now being in favour of an accommodation being reached to heal the split in men's golf.

"They both want the same thing too. It’s a matter of getting all the different constituents on board," said McIlroy about the presence of Monahan and Rumayyan this week.

'Change is needed'

The four-time major winner added that change "for the most part in golf is resisted because it's such a traditional sport".

"But I think at this point in time, change is needed to drive the game forward and hopefully we can get to that point."

Asked about how quickly a resolution can be reached, McIlroy he hoped "before year’s end" although he added that it's a "pretty complicated deal".

"Maybe it’s going too slow for the people that follow golf. In the business world, deals of this size take time. You are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions.

"I think we’ll know a lot more by year’s end. We’re in October so hopefully [there's] three months to get something done."

McIlroy's father will celebrate his 65th birthday on Saturday by playing alongside his son at St Andrews as the duo aim for victory in the team event after several near misses.

"We’ve been close before to win the team event. Haven’t quite gotten over the line. It’s just lovely to spend the week with him and my mum being here as well."