McIlroy Expects PGA Tour-PIF Deal Update “Definitely Before The Year’s End”

Is it real progress or just more noise?

This week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund appear to be continuing negotiations to resolve a longstanding divide in the world of golf.

One of the game’s most prominent spokesmen said it’s a sign that we’ll get a meaningful update on a Tour-PIF deal in the next three months.

“Definitely before the year’s end,” is the phrase Rory McIlroy used. “Maybe it is going too slow for the people who follow golf but I think, in the business world, deals of this size take time. You know, you are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions in the Middle East, U.S. and Europe.

“It’s a pretty complicated deal but I think we’ll know more by the year’s end, hopefully. We are in October, so three months to get something done and start 2025 with enthusiasm and all move forward together.”

One of the drivers of McIlroy’s optimism is this week’s DP World Tour event, a pro-am held at three classic Scottish courses, where embattled Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan are playing in the same group.

Monahan, partnered with Billy Horschel for today’s first round, was in the same group as Al-Rumayyan at Carnoustie. McIlroy and Monahan will play together at Kingsbarns on Friday before McIlroy and Al-Rumayyan will be out together on Saturday at St Andrews.

This comes on the heels of Tour-PIF meetings held last month in New York.

“You know, there’s no better place than the home of golf to get everyone together and talking,” McIlroy said. “It’s a great thing and a good sign that Jay and Yasir are playing together on Thursday. I think it is a step in the right direction. Time will tell if things go in the direction I want them to or a lot of people want them to.

“I think we all understand it is not easy and, you know, change for the most part in golf is resisted because it is such a traditional sport. But I think, at this point in time, I think change is needed to sort of try and drive the game forward and hopefully we can get to that point.”

Horschel has been adamantly against LIV from the beginning—even calling some of their players “hypocrites and liars” in 2022—but is softening on that stance as the desperation for pro golf to reunite has grown.

“I could never imagine (when LIV was formed) that the divide that we’ve created in the game of golf would create such a disinterest in the fans,” Horschel said. “And that’s really who has sort of been hurt by all this. I do believe some coming together and some semblance of healing to the game and showing what the game is going to be going forward is what we need for everyone involved but especially for the fans.”

It’s been frustrating for golf fans to watch the past 16 months dating back to when the Tour and PIF shocked everyone with a framework agreement. However, a self-imposed Dec. 31, 2023, deadline passed with no formal deal and no repercussions.

Nine more months have passed since that deadline—public updates have been scarce, to put it generously.

McIlroy recently gave some insight into why all of this is taking so long, citing Department of Justice concerns and a split view among players on the Tour and LIV.

While we’re likely a long way out from seeing what the change could be, seeing the two sides talk is at least something to be hopeful about.

A lot of damage has been done. I know many people who have permanently changed their golf viewing habits. Even with a reunited pro golf landscape, some fans are not coming back to watch unless it’s a major.

Declining TV ratings have reached comical levels, with a recent Tour Sunday on Golf Channel only amassing an average of 69,000 viewers—less than standard programming for the outlet. The LIV Team Championship could barely do better with only 89,000 viewers.

Meanwhile, YouTube golf is reaching unprecedented heights. Bryson DeChambeau’s recent video with Bob Does Sports has garnered nearly three million views and more than 5,000 comments since being published last week.

Pro golf is under a lot of pressure to make substantial changes but Tour leadership hasn’t inspired much confidence that the right decisions will be made to generate fan interest.

It now seems like more of a certainty that LIV is going to continue existing long-term, but the exact formula for how LIV will mix with the Tour is a complete unknown.

Hopefully we’ll get some clarity … eventually.

Top Photo Caption: Rory McIlroy and Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan playing together at the RBC Canadian Open earlier this year. (GETTY IMAGES/Vaughn Ridley)