Rory McIlroy has revealed that he performed golf with Donald Trump earlier than his inauguration and claimed the US president is “on the PGA Tour’s facet” in relation to golf’s civil battle.
In a wide-ranging press convention forward of the Genesis Invitational, McIlroy mentioned he realized that Trump will not be a fan of LIV Golf’s 54-hole format, which incorporates group and particular person components and a shotgun begin.
McIlroy, who initially performed golf with Trump in February 2017, mentioned in 2020 that he wouldn’t achieve this once more – and doubted he would even be invited – after questioning Trump’s management throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and participant director Adam Scott met with Trump final week as efforts proceed to strike a deal between the US-based circuit, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.
WILL THE MERGER HAPPEN
Talks have been ongoing for the reason that signing of a framework settlement in June 2023.
Requested about that assembly and what Trump may obtain, McIlroy made reference to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF.
“So the president, he can do quite a lot of issues,” McIlroy mentioned. “He has direct entry to Yasir’s boss [Mohammed bin Salman]. Not many individuals have that.
“Not many individuals can say, I would like you to get this deal completed and by the way in which, I’m chatting with your boss, I’m going to inform him the identical factor.
“He [Trump] may be influential. I noticed it once I was enjoying with Sheikh Hamdan of Abu Dhabi the day when he obtained elected in November and the respect he has within the Center East… I don’t suppose individuals admire how a lot respect that he has there.
“So I believe every time he says one thing they pay attention and I believe that’s a giant factor.”
Requested if he had spoken to Trump lately, McIlroy mentioned he had performed golf with him “a couple of weeks in the past”.
LIV HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE
“It was nice. Yeah, it was actually good,” McIlroy added. “I believed we had an excellent dialogue.
“I learnt that he’s not a fan of the LIV format. I used to be like, ‘However you’ve hosted their occasions?’ He was like, ‘yeah, nevertheless it doesn’t imply that I prefer it’. So I believe he’s on the Tour’s facet.”
McIlroy was initially among the many largest opponents of LIV Golf and mentioned in July final yr he would slightly retire than play on the Saudi-funded breakaway, however has softened his stance extra lately.
“Whether or not you stayed on the PGA Tour otherwise you left, we’ve all benefited from this,” the Northern Irishman added.
“I’ve been on the report saying this quite a bit, like we’re enjoying for a 20 million greenback prize fund this week. That might have by no means occurred if LIV hadn’t have come round.
“I believe everybody’s simply obtained to recover from it and all of us should say ‘okay, that is the place to begin and we transfer ahead’. We don’t look behind us, we don’t look to the previous.
“No matter’s occurred has occurred and it’s been unlucky, however reunification, how all of us come again collectively and transfer ahead, that’s the perfect factor for everybody.
“If persons are butt-hurt or have their emotions harm as a result of guys went or no matter, like who cares? Let’s transfer ahead collectively and let’s simply attempt to get this factor going once more and do what’s finest for the sport.”
WILL RORY PLAY ON LIV GOLF
Whether or not that extends to McIlroy himself enjoying in LIV Golf occasions seems unlikely nonetheless.
McIlroy responded, “I hope not,” when requested if there wanted to be some “crossover” between the rival excursions, earlier than increasing on how the 2 entities may exist sooner or later.
“We’ll see, we’ll see,” McIlroy mentioned. “Do they take up a smaller a part of the schedule perhaps?
“There are specific markets that their product has labored, in Adelaide for instance this week. So are there sure markets the place we attempt to cherry choose the perfect ones that make sense and attempt to do one thing with them?”
