Rory McIlroy has openly welcomed the scheduled PGA Tour players meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. According to the Northern Irishman, the meeting “should have happened months ago.” The ace golfer, who used to be a staunch LIV Golf opponent, has now stated that he is hopeful of progress in the meeting.

While welcoming the meeting that could resolve golf’s long-standing civil war, McIlroy noted that he has already spent enough time with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan. The 34-year-ol golfer claimed that Al-Rumayyan “wants to do the right thing” with his investment in golf. However, he stated that there was a “really big disconnect between PIF and LIV.”

Talking about his take on the players meeting and Yasir Al-Rumayyan at The Players Championship 2024, Rory McIlroy said:

“That fundamentally he (Al-Rumayyan) wants to do the right thing. I think I’ve said this before, I have spent time with Yasir and the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice, so [Greg] Norman and those guys… I actually think there’s a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV.”

“I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So, the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalise that investment, I think that will be a really good thing… They’re a sovereign wealth fund. They want to park money for decades and not worry about it. They want to invest in smart and secure businesses, and the PGA Tour is definitely one of those…” he added.

Rory McIlroy’s comment comes just days after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed a meeting with Al-Rumayyan in January. The circuit’s Tour’s six player-directors are now set to do the same.

Interestingly, Tiger Woods is also said to attend the meeting and McIlroy is in full approval of this. The Irishman stated that Woods “absolutely needs to be involved” as he’s a player director.

It is pertinent to note that McIlroy himself used to be part of the Tour’s player board. However, he resigned from the post last year and made way for Jordan Spieth.

Jay Monahan says the PGA Tour-PIF deal is ‘accelerating,’ Rory McIlroy backs him

Monahan held his annual press conference ahead of The Players Championship 2024 on March 12. During the meet, the PGA Tour commissioner revealed that he was in talks with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

Updating the media on the current state of discussions with the Saudi side, Monahan said that he “can’t negotiate a deal like this in public” but ensured that the negotiation was “accelerating.”

Speaking at TPC Sawgrass, Monahan said the representatives from the Strategic Sports Group also met with the PIF. The circuit head noted that he refrains from answering specifics about the deal despite the progress made.

Notably, many stakeholders including the players weren’t happy with the limited answers given. However, players like Rory McIlroy seemed confident of the deal’s direction. The 4x Major winner later came out to back Monahan. He said that the Tour Commissioner was the ‘right man’ for the job despite the heat he’s facing.