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The golf world has been injected with an unprecedented amount of drama over the past couple of years, and we’ve been treated to our latest dose thanks to the saga concerning Rory McIlroy’s ill-fated attempt to return to the PGA Tour policy board—a bid that Tiger Woods reportedly had a hand in rejecting.
LIV Golf has largely failed to attract the audience it was undoubtedly hoping would flock to the circuit when it decided to take on the PGA Tour, and the golfers who’ve remained loyal to that second organization largely managed to form a united front as it gradually responded the challenges stemming from its newfound competition.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were among the PGA Tour golfers who recently received some massive bonuses for toeing the party line, and while it was safe to assume the two men who joined forces to launch the TGL in 2022 were on pretty solid terms, it would appear their relationship has hit a rough patch.
On Wednesday, we learned the Northern Irishman will not be rejoining the PGA Tour policy board following his resignation last December despite previous reports that asserted he was expected to fill Webb Simpson’s seat. Rory hinted at some drama behind the scenes while discussing the matter ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship, and while some insiders painted Patrick Cantlay as the primary scapegoat, it doesn’t appear he was the only person who pushed back.
According to Golf Digest, Cantlay was a central figure in the campaign to block McIlroy from making his grand return. However, it also cited sources who said Tiger opposed the proposal while saying their relationship has “soured over the past six months,” which seemingly stems from Woods taking issue with Rory’s assertion the PGA Tour should accept money from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The outlet notes Jordan Spieth was also in the Anti-McIlroy Camp for similar reasons, adding Rory reportedly removed himself from a group chat with the three-time major winner after he said there was no need for the PIF to get involved with the PGA Tour at Pebble Beach earlier this year.
McIlroy did what he could to downplay the fallout of the pushback while discussing the situation this week, but it’ll be interesting to see if these rifts continue to grow moving forward.