Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott are players on PGA Tour Enterprises' new transaction subcommittee, who are negotiating with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund; McIlroy not replacing Webb Simpson on the PGA Tour policy board after the prospect reopened "old wounds"
Friday 10 May 2024 12:25, UK
Rory McIlroy said he has been "some way" involved with discussions with Saudi backers of LIV Golf and insists there is "no strain" in his relationship with Tiger Woods.
The PGA Tour confirmed on Thursday that McIlroy is one of three active players on the newly-created PGA Tour Enterprises' Transaction Subcommittee, alongside Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, who are engaged in direct negotiations with Saudi's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The trio are part of the seven-person subcommittee alongside four additional members of the PGA Tour Enterprises Board, including PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, although McIlroy is the only member not on the PGA Tour Enterprises board itself.
McIlroy confirmed his role to reporters after the opening round of the Wells Fargo Championship, a day after admitting he was not replacing Webb Simpson on the PGA Tour policy board because the prospect of his return reopened "old wounds" among other players.
"I've already had calls with that group [transaction subcommittee]," McIlroy said on Thursday. "I had a really good hour and a half Zoom with those guys on Sunday, we went through a 150-page doc about the future product model and everything.
"Yeah, I'm not on the board, but I'm in some way involved in that transaction committee. I don't have a vote so I don't, you know, I don't have I guess a meaningful say in what happens in the future.
"But at least I can, I feel like I can be helpful on that committee, and that was sort of a compromise for I guess not getting a board seat."
Joe Gorder, the chair and chief executive of Valero - an energy company in the United States - has been elected as the inaugural chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises, which was launched when the framework agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's PIF was announced last June.
John W. Henry of Fenway Sports Group and manager of the Strategic Sports Group is also on the committee, along with player-turned liaison director Joe Ogilvie.
It is understood that Patrick Cantlay was among the players who felt "uncomfortable" that McIlroy would automatically take Simpson's seat on the PGA Tour policy rather than going through a formal process, with the former FedExCup champion's view backed up by Jordan Spieth and Woods.
McIlroy sees globalisation and a move towards a 'World Tour' as an absolute necessity in order to unify game, with the former world No 1 also admitting that his friendship with Woods remains strong despite their differing views on some elements of golf's future.
"I mean, I think friends can have disagreements or not see eye to eye on things," McIlroy added. "I think that's fine.
"We had a really good talk last Friday for 45 minutes, just about a lot of different things. No, there's no strain there.
"I think we might see the future of golf a little bit differently, but I don't think that should place any strain on a relationship or on a friendship."
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