Rory McIlroy is gearing up for a surprising return to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board, just five months after stepping down.
According to The Guardian, McIlroy is poised to rejoin negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which aim to mend the divisions in elite men’s golf.
Those talks with LIV Golf’s backers have hit a snag as the sport remains divided long after last June’s unexpected Framework Agreement announcement by warring factions.
McIlroy has a positive rapport with PIF chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, raising hopes that his renewed involvement could speed up a resolution.
Pending today’s vote , McIlroy would replace Webb Simpson on the six-player board of directors. Simpson reportedly resigned with a single request: that the four-time major champion take his spot.
The other players on the policy board include Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, and Jordan Spieth.
In response to news of his return, McIlroy told Sky Sports News, “I’d rather the men’s golf professional landscape survived this, so I’m happy to do my bit.”
For some time, McIlroy championed the PGA Tour’s cause, opposing the threat of the rival LIV circuit. His views on LIV have evolved, but he’s emphatically ruled out joining the Saudi-backed league, committing to the PGA Tour for his entire career.
Now, McIlroy will play a pivotal role in shaping the sport’s future through these discussions. Initially stepping away due to the demands of the role, he cited a busy life with golf, family, investments, and involvement in TGL.
“I just think I’ve got a lot going on in my life between my golf game, my family and my growing investment portfolio, my involvement in TGL, and I just felt like something had to give,” he said in November.
