4x major champion Rory McIlroy ready to welcome back LIV Golfers and reunify golf following PGA Tour-PIF deal

4-time major champion is ready to welcome back LIV Golfers and urged the others to get over their anger to bring the game of golf back.

4x major champion Rory McIlroy ready to welcome back LIV Golfers and reunify golf following PGA Tour-PIF deal

Rory McIlroy (Image via Imago)

The PGA Tour’s merger deal with the Public Investment Fund has picked up some pace in the past few days. With a reunification of the sport on the cards, 4-time major champion Rory McIlroy is ready to welcome back LIV Golfers and play with them again.

The sport of golf was left split following the establishment of LIV Golf in 2021. Several PGA Tours would leave the tour and join the 54-hole circuit. Since then there has been an animosity among players as well.

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McIlroy was once a staunch supporter of the PGA Tour and kept on bashing LIV Golf and it’s members. He had even claimed that there should be some sort of punishment for fines before the players are welcomed back on the tour.

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However, last year the North Irishman suddenly changed his stance. He would claim that he was a bit “judgmental” while making his remarks on them.

The golfer has once again called for peace. Ahead of the Genesis Invitational at the Torrey Pines course, McIlroy said that having LIV Golf stars like Bryson DeChambeau back on the tour will be “good” for them.

There are guys that were on the PGA Tour that went to play on LIV and if they still have status, sure, come back, come back and play. Like for us, they’ve all got equity in this tour. Having Bryson DeChambeau come back and play on this tour is good.

Rory McIlroy said in the Genesis Invitational press conference

Since the split, the two tours have struggled to attract viewers. The only time LIV Golfers and PGA Tour stars meet now is during the major championships due to several of them having exemptions based on past performances. A return of these massive names under one tour will likely have a huge impact in viewership going forward.

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Rory McIlroy urges people to ‘get over’ their anger with LIV Golf and move forward to bring game of golf back

After some scathing remarks on LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy seemingly got over his anger with them. He has now urged the others to do the same and try to move forward to bring the game of golf back.

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy (Image via Imago)

During the press conference before the Genesis Invitational, the former World No.1 claimed that some people need to put their feelings aside and not think about what had happened before.

I think everyone’s just got to get over it and we all have to say OK, this is the starting point and we move forward. We don’t look behind us, we don’t look to the past.

Rory McIlroy told the reporters at Genesis Invitational

As per reports, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) spent almost $2 billion to launch LIV Golf. McIlroy claimed that LIV Golf’s established has benefitted everyone.

He pointed out how having them has seen an increase in the purse prizes for events. With LIV Golf having a $20 million purse for every events, the PGA Tour has started to match them and increased the purse pool for signature and major championships events.

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McIlroy will now turn his attention to the Genesis Invitational – one of the signature events of the PGA Tour. The purse for this event is set at $20 million with the winner taking home around $4 million. He will now be hoping to make it back-to-back wins on the tour following his triumph at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am two weeks ago.