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A potential PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger could be closer than ever according to Rory McIlroy who recently played golf with President Trump and gleaned some interesting information out of the round. Rory has shared in the past that he believes President Trump is the person who can get a LIV-PGA deal done but these comments come after Rory played a round with the president back in January and is now sharing details on it.
Rory, hot off his win at Pebble Beach and #3 world racking in the OWGR points standings, told the AFP News Agency about the round and perhaps the most revealing detail is that President Trump, who has hosted multiple LIV Golf Invitationals at his properties, is not a fan of LIV Golf.
Rory told AFP that the round with President Trump “was really good” and he “thought we had a good discussion” on the course. McIlroy then revealed the dig at LIV Golf, saying “I learned he’s not a fan of the LIV format. I was like, but you’ve hosted their events. He was like, yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I like it. So I think he’s on the tour’s side.”
On the one hand, it seems unbelievable that President Trump would dislike LIV Golf given that he’s hosted multiple tournament but on the other hand that quote, as told by Rory, sounds precisely like something DJT would say. When asked about a potential PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger, Rory says that he believes President Trump and commissioner Jay Monahan can work together to get it done.
McIlroy said “the president, he can do a lot of things. He has direct access to Yasir’s boss. Not many people have that. Not many people can say, ‘I want you to get this deal done and by the way, I’m speaking to your boss, I’m going to tell him the same thing.’” Rory added “there’s a few things that he can do. He can be influential. He loves the game of golf… I think whenever he says something they listen and I think that’s a big thing.”
It is difficult to tell if this is just more of Rory’s bloviating about how the PGA Tour is close to reunification with LIV Golf or if there is some substance to what’s being said.
There have been discussions of a merger for well over a year now. LIV Golf has, in that time, ousted Greg Norman and replaced him with new CEO Scott O’Neil.
Many golf fans were hopeful the Norman ouster might expedite the unification process but alas, nothing has happened yet. Hopefully whatever Rory McIlroy discussed with President Trump on the course back in January will lead to change sooner than later because it’s the golf fans who are suffering. LIV’s absolutely dismal TV ratings are evidence of that.