Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour policy board chaos, explained

Rory McIlroy vs. the PGA Tour policy board

Negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV’s backer, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), have inched along since a framework agreement was announced in June 2023.

McIlroy, an outspoken critic of LIV, has expressed support for a unified global golf circuit — including LIV, TGL, and DP World Tour events — largely funded by PIF and operated by the PGA Tour.

“I think I can be helpful,” McIlroy said in New Orleans about rejoining the board. “I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be.”

However, before facing an official vote, the no. 2 player in the world pulled his name from consideration. Simpson will finish out his term, which runs through 2025.

Speaking ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday, McIlroy revealed that his unsuccessful effort reminded him why he stepped down in the first place.

“It got pretty complicated and pretty messy. I think with the way it happened, I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. 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 if, there’s some people on there that aren’t comfortable with me coming back on, then I think Webb just stays on.

“…I put my hand up to help, and I wouldn’t say it was rejected, it was a complicated process to get through to put me back on there. That’s all fine. No hard feelings, we all move on.”

Woods, McIlroy, Spieth own substantial stakes of PGA Tour Enterprises, the commercial branch launched in 2024 as part of Strategic Sports Group’s $3 billion investment in the PGA Tour. Tiger is vice president.

“Usually, a player doesn’t have a contingency to their resignation and names a successor,” Scott explained to GolfWeek. “Some of the delay is just figuring out what is sensible…We have a responsibility to shareholders now. The process matters more than ever.”

“Rory’s always had really great ideas of, how do we move forward?” Simpson said at Quail Hollow. “I think those conversations just led to a thought of wanting him to be, not necessarily in every conversation, but in more conversations. I think the players on the board were very supportive of him being more involved in those conversations. I think they all see the vital role he plays.”

“…We kinda had to figure out, OK where is his place? How can we honor his role as board members and also our commitment to the tour, but at least bring in a guy to at least voice his ideas and see how he can help us.”

Other player directors — perhaps, Woods, Spieth, and Cantlay — appear more steadfast in riding with SSG/private equity over the $700 billion sovereign wealth fund.

“SSG, we have solidified our agreement with them and with PIF, we’re still negotiating,” Tiger said in February. “Ultimately we would like PIF be part of our tour and be a part of our product. But financially we don’t [need] them now.”

In March, Tiger organized a meeting in the Bahamas with representatives from PIF and the PGA Tour in March.

According to one tournament director who spoke to GolfWeek, a contingency of folks support McIlroy’s return specifically to counterbalance Cantlay.

“We need Rory back on the board. Had he stayed on he could’ve neutered Cantlay. He’s the only one with the power to neuter Cantlay. We need Rory to try to keep Cantlay from ruining the Tour.”

McIlroy, coming off his 25th career PGA Tour victory, will vie for his fifth major next week at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla — the site of his last major, 10 years ago.

“I’m impatient because we’ve got this window of opportunity to get it done,” McIlroy said Wednesday.