McIroy: Simplify golf’s structure

As much as golf has taken a financial hit worldwide from the COVID-19 pandemic, Rory McIlroy says it has illustrated how tours should consider some form of consolidation.

“I don’t know if everything being under one umbrella is the solution, but definitely fewer umbrellas I think is a way forward,” McIlroy said.

The world’s No. 1 player likes the idea of a world tour. He did not like the idea of an outside organization, like the Premier Golf League, trying to cherry-pick a small number of top players for events around the world. He was the first player to state publicly he would not be joining.

McIlroy said the puzzle of restoring golf schedules during the pandemic made it clear how many moving parts are involved.

The first step was PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan meeting with the majors’ organizations — Augusta National, the PGA of America, USGA and R&A — to figure out when they could be played.

There are six major tours involved in the Official World Golf Ranking — PGA Tour, European Tour, Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. Then there are 17 smaller tours (some attached to main tours) that get ranking points.

McIlroy had an idea, just not a solution. “Whether it’s European Tour events offering FedEx Cup points and some PGA Tour events offering Race to Dubai points, I don’t know,” he said. “But just a little bit more cohesion, and then I think trying to figure out the schedule going forward this year.”