Rory McIlroy insists he “would have to be convinced” to welcome LIV Golf rebels such as Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter back in the Ryder Cup fold as future captains as a potential deal with the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund comes closer to fruition.
Speaking on the eve of the £20m Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines, the Holywood star revealed he played golf with President Donald Trump in January and was optimistic that the US leader was on the PGA Tour’s side in efforts to get a deal done.
“The President, he can do a lot of things,” McIlroy said. “He has direct access to Yasir’s (PIF boss Al-Rumayyan) boss (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman). Not many people have that.
“Not many people can say, I want you to get this deal done. And by the way, I’m speaking to your boss later, I’m going to tell him the same thing. So there’s a few things that he can do.”
McIlroy, who has been vehemently opposed to LIV Golf because it has fractured the game, revealed that Trump is no fan either.
“I thought we had a good discussion,” McIlroy said. “I learned that he’s not a fan of the LIV format.
“I was like, but you’ve hosted their events. He’s like, ‘Yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I like it’, so I think he’s on the tour’s side.”
PGA Tour CEO Jay Monahan and Player Director Adam Scott met with Trump recently and issued a statement last week to say a deal was “closer”.
How LIV Golf rebels such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau or Brooks Koepka could be welcomed back into the PGA Tour in some way remains to be seen, but McIlroy believes players to move on, even if some feel hard done by after missing out on the LIV millions.
“I think everyone’s just got to get over it, and we all have to say, okay, this is the starting point, and we move forward,” said McIlroy, who admitted he was one of the PGA Tour players who has benefited financially due to the increase in prize funds that have come about due to competition from LIV.
“We don’t look behind us. We don’t look to the past.
“Whatever’s happened has happened, and it’s been unfortunate, but reunification, how we all come back together and move forward, that’s the best thing for everyone.
“So if people have their feelings hurt because guys went and, like, whatever, who cares?
“Like, let’s move forward together and let’s just try to get this thing going again and do what’s best for the game.”
As for welcoming LIV players such as Poulter or Westwood back into the Ryder Cup fold as future captains, he was not so sure.
“I would have to be convinced,” he said, explaining that they would have to rejoin the DP World Tour.
“It would take them treating it as Luke Donald has treated it for the last three years.
“That’s what it would take to convince me.
“They gave up their European Tour membership. Other LIV guys have access to the DP World Tour. Tyrrell (Hatton), Jon (Rahm), they have access.”
McIlroy is one of the clear favourites to take home the £3.2m winner’s cheque in the 72-hole signature event, where there will be a cut after two rounds thanks to the insistence of host Tiger Woods, who withdrew this week due to the recent death of his mother.
“Yeah, look, it’s good to be back,” said McIlroy, who said Woods made “the right call” by withdrawing this week. “Feel like I’m in good form obviously coming off the back of Pebble. Just trying to keep it rolling.”
He’s joined at Torrey Pines, which replaced Riviera Country Club as the venue due to the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, by Shane Lowry and Séamus Powerr.
Lowry will be looking to build on his runner-up finish to McIlroy at Pebble Beach two weeks ago at a venue where he missed the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open in his first start this season.