Rory McIlroy insists there’s no greater place than St Andrews to bring golf’s divided parties together.
And he has boldly predicted a peace-deal in the game could be sealed by the end of this year. McIlroy will play alongside both PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan and PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan during the Alfred Dunhill Links. Monahan and Al-Rumayyan, who set-up the LIV series which split the game, will also be together during the opening rounds at the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingbarns.
Detailed talks are ongoing for an agreement to bring golf back together and the sight of the pair in the same groupings adds belief that things are moving firmly in the right direction. McIlroy reckons the Home of Golf is the perfect setting for more positive talking as he said: “There’s no better place than the Home of Golf to get everyone together and talking.
“It’s a great thing and a good sign that Jay and Yasir are playing together on Thursday. Obviously you’ve got quite a big contingent from LIV that are playing in this event as well. I think what Johann Rupert, the man who runs this event, is trying to do is just bring the golf world back together a little bit.”
McIlroy joked: “If we need to be forced together in some way, he is trying to do that!” But he continued that a deal could come soon and said: “I think it will be good. I think it is a step in the right direction.
“You know, time will tell if things go in the direction I want them to or a lot of people want them to. There’s been a few good steps along the way and I think this is another one. It’s a matter of getting all the constituents on board.
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“The sponsors want the same thing, I think everyone just wants to see the game of golf come back together and have all the best players playing together and try to make it a bit more global as well. It’s a pretty complicated deal, but I think we’ll know more by the year’s end, hopefully.
“We are in October, so three months to get something done and start 2025 with enthusiasm and all move forward together.”
Speaking to BBC NI on the 16th fairway of his practice round, he added: “I think there’s a lot of people on board with that and it’s just a matter of trying to work through it, I guess the various complicated issues there are to get it done.
“I think we all understand it is not easy and, you know, change for the most part in golf is resisted because it is such a traditional sport. But I think, at this point in time, change is needed to sort of try and drive the game forward and, hopefully, we can get to that point.”
Asked if a resolution could come soon, McIlroy added: “Yeah, I hope so. Definitely before the year’s end.
“Maybe it is going too slow for the people who follow golf, but I think in the business world deals of this size take time. You know, you are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions in the Middle East, US and Europe.”