Does PGA Tour still need a PIF deal? Rory Mcilroy answers

Probably probably right to say that Rory Mcilroy is ill speaking to PGA Tour vs Liv Union. In fact, you are probably sick of reading about it.

But the long -awaiting deal between PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund continues to crawl, and while it is an increasingly unbearable topic to read, the truth is a finalized deal will have a huge impact on what the future of professional golf may seem.

After two years of detention, recent discussions The involvement of President Donald Trump, PGA Commissioner Tour Jay Monahan, Tour Adam Scott player director Tiger Woods and Governor of PIF (and Golf Liv leader) Yasir al-Rumayyan sparked rumors of a progress in dealing.

But… we are still waiting. Meanwhile, in the last two months, PGA Tour has added TGL to its arsenal-which has made good ratings-and even watched its TV ratings dancing again the first two months of the year.

Wednesday at Arnold Palmer InvitationalWhich boasts the best field we have seen this year, Mcilroy was asked – given the aforementioned positives of the tour – if golf still needs this agreement between both parties to happen.

“I think the narrative about golf, I will not say there is a need for a deal, I think the narrative about golf will welcome a deal in terms of just the best players together again,” he said. “But I don’t think PGA Tour needs a deal. I think the moment is pretty strong. TV has been good, TGL has hoped for a lot of overall situation. I answered this question at Torrey Pines two weeks ago, before, you know, the landscape could have looked a little different than the last two weeks, and I think it would still be an agreement for the past two weeks. From a pure PGA Tour perspective, I don’t think it necessarily needs. “

It is important to emphasize his reference to a similar question in the Invitational Genesis last month. There he made it clear that the game better with both sides to join together.

“At what happened has happened and has been unfortunate, but reunion, as we all come back together and move forward, this is the best thing for everyone,” he said. “If people are injured or hurt or hurt their feelings because the boys went (in Liv) or whatever, how do they care? Let’s move forward together and let’s try to do this again and do what is best for the game. “

Asked on Wednesday what has changed in those two weeks since those comments, Mcilroy said, “Look, I think it needs two in tango. So if one party is ready and ready and the other is not, it makes it difficult.”

Mcilroy agreed that the ideal scenario is the best players competing together more than four times a year, plus an investment in PIF product. How this works, it is not safe. Lingereddened so long now he has thought less about logistics.

“I thought about it a few years ago,” he said. “You can create exception categories you try to catch what you want to catch, you know, the main winners in the last three years, plus player champions, I don’t know. Again, not my department.”

To put on a bow on things, after the last optimism with the white gut meetings, does a deal feel closer?

“I don’t think it’s ever felt so close,” Mcilroy said. “It doesn’t feel like it’s closer.”