Despite The Sun claiming that a deal had been reached between the PGA and DP World Tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund which backs LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy says he’s very much in the dark if the rumours are true.
The world number three is credited by The Sun as being instrumental in the alleged agreement, as is Tiger Woods who is part of the ‘Transaction Subcommittee’ tasked with helping to bring the sovereign wealth fund into the fold alongside the Strategic Sports Group who invested in PGA Tour Enterprises earlier this year.
But if an agreement has in fact been reached, it’s news to McIlroy and it’s a scenario he very much doubts.
“Yeah, it’s the first that I’ve heard of it,” he told the press ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. “I know Jay was in Saudi Arabia last week at the FII and was having some meetings. But no, I think I would have heard if there was.
“I know he’s briefing the transaction committee tonight. So maybe some news comes out of that.
“But as far as I’m aware, I haven’t heard a thing.”
Clearing US Department of Justice hurdles is believed to be one of the major sticking points in the negotiation process, but McIlroy is hopeful that the U.S. Presidential Election results which overwhelmingly point to a Donald Trump victory – Kamala Harris has yet to concede at the time of writing – could yield positive results on the golf front.
“Obviously given today’s news with what’s happened in America, I think that clears the way a little bit. So we’ll see,” he said.
On the eve of the election, Trump made the claim that he could strike a deal between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf within 15 minutes, and McIlroy is hopeful that Trump’s relationship with Elon Musk among other powerful and influential forces could help get the ball rolling.
“He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him,” McIlroy added. “We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too.
“Yeah, I think from the outside looking in, it’s probably a little less complicated than it actually is.
“Obviously Trump has great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows?
“But I think as the President of the United States again, he’s probably got bigger things to focus on than golf.”