Deal to unite golf ‘not any closer’ – McIlroy

Rory McIlroy says he does not think a deal to unite golf is “any closer” despite talks between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and United States president Donald Trump.

The sport has been fractured since Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf launched in 2022 and recruited some of the sport’s leading players from the PGA Tour, including Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.

Discussions over a possible merger started in June 2023 and, in February, the PGA Tour held “constructive” talks with LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and president Trump at the White House.

At the Genesis Open, 15-time major winner Tiger Woods said he thought the divide would “heal quickly” following the talks.

However, McIlroy doesn’t believe the PGA Tour “needs” a deal to be struck, and said any plans to unify the sport are still far away from coming to fruition.

“I don’t think it’s ever felt that close but it doesn’t feel like it’s any closer,” said Northern Ireland’s McIlroy.

“I think the narrative around golf would welcome a deal in terms of having the best players together again.

“But I don’t think the PGA Tour needs a deal.”

McIlroy said momentum in the PGA Tour is “pretty strong”, adding “TV’s been good and the TGL [McIlroy’s and Woods’ golf league] has been hopefully pretty additive to the overall situation”.

When asked why he felt a deal was not close, McIlroy said: “It takes two to tango.”

“If one party is willing and ready and the other isn’t, it makes it tough,” he said.

“The landscape might have looked a little different then than it does now over these past couple of weeks.

“I think a deal would still be the ideal scenario for golf as a whole, but from a pure PGA perspective, I don’t think it necessarily needs it.”

McIlroy might play additional event before Masters

McIlroy is only scheduled to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship before his latest bid for Masters glory from 10-13 April.

He currently has a three-week gap in his schedule before the Masters, the only major McIlroy has yet to win.

The 35-year-old said he has “still to make a decision” over whether he will play any additional events before lining out at Augusta.

“I’m going to play these next two weeks and I’ll see how they go, and then I’ll re-assess,” he said.

“I don’t like the idea of having three weeks off going into the Masters so I may add one event, but I’m still between what event that may be.

“It really depends on how these two weeks go and how I’m feeling about my game.

“I’d imagine I’ll add an event leading into there, it just depends on whether it’s Houston or San Antonio.”