Rory McIlroy says Saudi Arabia’s PIF may consider ‘alternative options’ for PGA Tour amid deal delay

Rory McIlroy expressed frustration Thursday over the ongoing — and seemingly never-ending — negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. After PGA Tour commissioner and PGA Tour Enterprises CEO Jay Monahan said Wednesday that there is no deadline To reach a deal, McIlroy warned that playing the long game may not be a wise option.

“I thought there would be more progress being made, but unfortunately,” he told Golf.com. “I think, at this point, people are just getting frustrated, tired of it. It’s just become a little cloud over golf. But a very narrow cloud, you know?

“I wish people had done more, but it seems like some people are not very willing to try to fix this problem.”

McIlroy has been in and out of these conversations for a long time. He was player director when the PGa Tour announced the framework agreement with PIF but resigned at the end of 2023, declaring“I just thought I had so much going on in my life between golf, my family and my growing portfolio, my involvement with TGL. I just felt like I had to give something up. I just felt like I couldn’t devote the time and energy to doing that.”

Since that admission, there has been talk of McIlroy potentially replacing Webb Simpson as player director in early 2024, though that ultimately came to nothing. McIlroy elaborated on his comments to Golf.com earlier this week after shooting a 2-under-par 69 in the opening round of the Tour Championship.

“I think anybody who cares about golf is disappointed,” McIlroy said. “I think anybody who cares about the PGA Tour is disappointed that we — the royal ‘we’ — we didn’t put out the absolute best product that we could have. I understand the argument that these guys left and that’s their choice and whatever.

“I just think it’s gone on long enough. I mean, I think people are trying to find a solution. It’s just that solutions are hard to come by. Even though I’ve been on the wrong side of things, like the US Open with Bryson [DeChambeau] and I, you can really only get that four times a year maximum. I think the game of golf deserves to have things like this happen more than just four times a year.”

Although Monahan helped PGA Tour Enterprises — a newly formed for-profit entity — secure $1.5 billion from Strategic Sports Group earlier this year, he remains optimistic that PIF will provide a similar investment and said the details still take time to work out.

McIlroy warned that the PGA Tour cannot negotiate forever.

“I think if that doesn’t happen soon, then frankly, I think PIF and the Saudis are going to have to look at alternatives, right? I think that’s probably… I think that’s the next step in all of this if nothing gets done.”