McIlroy: I liken it to the Good Friday Agreement
RORY McILROY will not replace Webb Simpson on the PGA Tour policy board after the prospect of his return reopened “old wounds” as he compared the job of trying to unite the various factions in golf to the Northern Ireland peace process.
McIlroy was hopeful that he could play a part in speeding up a deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls the LIV Golf League.
However, the world No.2 has previously said that he and Patrick Cantlay “see the world quite differently” and also had an exchange of views with Jordan Spieth, another player director, after Spieth suggested the Tour’s multi-billion dollar deal with Strategic Sports Group meant investment from the PIF might not be needed.
And although he did not name names when discussing the issue in a press conference ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy referred to a “subset” of people who were against his return.
“It got pretty complicated and pretty messy and I think with the way it happened, I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before,” McIlroy said. “I think there was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason.
“I think the best course of action is Webb just stays on and sees out his term, and I think he’s gotten to a place where he’s comfortable with doing that and I just sort of keep doing what I’m doing.”
McIlroy has long been one of the most vocal critics of LIV Golf, but has softened his stance on the influx of money from the sovereign state’s PIF and admits he is “impatient” to get a deal done.
“I think we’ve got this window of opportunity to get it done, because both sides from a business perspective I wouldn’t say need to get it done, but it makes sense,” McIlroy said.
“I sort of liken it to like when Northern Ireland went through the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement, neither side was happy. Catholics weren’t happy, Protestants weren’t happy, but it brought peace and then you just sort of learn to live with whatever has been negotiated, right?”