Rory McIlroy urges caution as PGA Tour investment talks move forward
The new merger between the Saudi Arabian PIF and the PGA Tour has drastically changed the scene of men's professional golf. With a deadline of December 31st to submit the new framework agreement between the two, the PGA Tour is also looking for other investor options, including the likes of the Fenway Sports Group.
Talks between the Fenway Sports Group and PGAT are already underway and Rory McIlroy hopes that a deal between them will be carried out soon. After a long board meeting between the PGAT and FSG, Rory McIlroy said that the conversation is progressing fast. Speaking ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, McIlroy said via NBC Sports:
“I think if you were in the middle of it, you would see that there’s a path forward. It’s just that no one on the outside has any details, right. Loose lips sink ships, so we are trying to keep it tight and within walls. I’m sure when there’s news to tell, it will be told."
Rory McIlroy supports PIF joining PGA Tour to "heal a fractured competitive landscape”
Rory McIlroy is in support of the PIF joining the PGA Tour, to reduce the tension that is present in the golf world and the golf community. However, he also indicated that the deal might not happen before December 31st and both parties will have to agree to extend the deadline.
“Even if we get a deal done, it doesn’t mean that it’s actually going to happen,” he said. “That’s up to the United States government at that point, and whether the Department of Justice think that it’s the right thing to do, or whether it’s anti-competitive or whatever. Even if a deal gets done, it’s not a sure thing."
Needless to say, if the deal were to go through, the men's pro golf scene could look very different in its upcoming season.
For now, however, Rory McIlroy has secured his fifth Road to Dubai Championship. After the DP World Tour Championship, he will directly make an appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as he has decided to skip this season's Sentry Tournament.