Despite the presence at the Home of Golf this week of the supposed two key ‘fixers’ currently in men’s golf, Rory McIlroy believes it could be at least more three years of ‘cross-overs’ before men’s professional golf is fully mended of the rift that has virtually torn the heart out of the game.
McIlroy had just posted a disappointing third round two-under-par 70 after letting slip a stunning start to his round when he raced to seven-under for his round through nine holes.
However the World No. 3 came home in a proverbial golfing ambulance dropping shots at his 12th, 16th and final holes on the Old Course to head to the final round sharing 40th place at 10-under.
“It was a nice little stroll around the Old Course”, said McIlroy with a rye smile on his face.
“No, it’s been a nice few days. Mum got in last night, so it’s been nice to spend the weekend now with both mum and dad”.
McIlroy’s effort on golf’s traditional ‘moving day’ left him trailing by a dozen shots in the individual event while it was not the 65th birthday his father, Gerry had wished for and he will sit out Sunday’s final round.
When asked about his round, McIlroy was quizzed what his thoughts were of competing among in the company of so many LIV attached stars while McIlroy singled out tournament host, Rohann Rupert for special praise.
“It’s Johann’s way of getting us all together, and it’s been nice to spend some time with all of them, the LIV players, and talk a little bit about the situation though there probably was not as much talk about it as you would have thought”, he said.
“Saying that, they all have their own airplanes and they can go meet each other whenever or wherever they want. They don’t have to meet at St. Andrews to have to do it. Though it’s nice they did come here to meet. It was great to get a good mixed field together this week which is something we don’t probably see as often as we should. Yet, time will tell”.
McIlroy was asked if he felt he could place a time frame when golf fans could expect to see a hopeful return to normality where both the PGA, DP World Tour players and those LIV players will be on the same page in terms not only the majors but the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
“I think by year’s end we should know whether the PIF will invest in PGA Tour Enterprises, so we should know if the problem of where we currently find ourselves in golf right now will be solved”, he said.
“I would say by the end of the year we are going to know if that is a possibility. We know that all various Tour’s will keep truckin’ along and keep doing their thing for the foreseeable future.
“I think the best thing we could look for is a bit of cross-over between them and while that is happening, and over that period of time whether it be one year or two years, three years and that’s all we can do is to figure out the rest”.
This journalist then asked McIlroy what would restrict the process of ‘cross-overs’.
“It will mean those eligible playing in the four majors, the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup though the hard thing is there is legal precedence in the United States and here in Europe” and that makes it very difficult”, he said,
“That’s the big aspect that gets in the way. No-one likes lawyers (smiling). I certainly don’t.
“That is the biggest part of this issue though the good aspect is that there is a willingness from all parties to try to get it all sorted but you have lawyers in the middle of it and that’s what we have”.