PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan are in among the field for the pro-am event, and will even play together on Thursday, alongside professional partners Billy Horschel and Dean Burmester. Talks are expected over the merging of the tours, and with DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings also in attendance, it signifies the first time all parties have come face-to-face since golf’s civil war began.
The emergeance of LIV saw a split in the sport in 2022 but things have dramatically changed since with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and PGA Tour having already struck a ‘framework agreement’. McIlroy, who was among LIV Golf’s staunchest critics, is also set to play rounds with Monahan and Al-Rumayyan.
The Northern Irishman is pleased to see ex-opposing forces coming together to play in Scotland. The 35-year-old golf star has lauded developments.
“There’s no better place than the home of golf to try and get everyone together and talking,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing and good sign that Jay and Yasir are going to play together on Thursday, and you’ve got quite a big contingent from LIV that are playing this event.
“It’s a matter of trying to get all the different constituents on board because I think the sponsors want the same thing. I think everyone just wants to see the game of golf come back together and have all of the best players playing together.
“And try to make it a bit more global, as well. I think there are a lot of people on board with that and it’s just a matter of trying to work through the various sort of complicated issues that there are to try to get it done.”
McIlroy also praised tournament chief Johann Rupert: “I think what Johann, the man who runs this event, is trying to do is just bring the golf world back together a little bit. If we need to be forced together in some way, he’s trying to do that. I think it will be good. It’s certainly a step in the right direction.”
However, PGA Championship winner Rich Beem thinks McIlroy may be getting ahead of himself in suggesting a round of golf between Monahan and Al-Rumayyan would prove useful in finding a breakthrough for the merger. “I don’t know if we should read too much into it,” he told Sky Sports.
“As Jay Monahan said everything we’re going to do is behind closed doors and we’re not going to give out any information. It’s just because the nature of the subject and what they must be going through on both sides.
“You know, there’s a lot of things legally that have to be passed and looked at. I think it’s interesting, though you kind of expected them to be paired together at some point in time.”
