Rory McIlroy declares he won't rejoin the PGA Tour policy board following unsmooth discourses.
The second-ranked golfer stepped down from his player director position in November due to personal and professional commitments. However, he expressed a willingness to rejoin the board if asked.
But after discussions regarding replacing Webb Simpson, he now plans to complete his tenure, which extends until 2025, since McIlroy stated that some board members didn't feel comfortable with his return.
"There's been a lot of discussions," McIlroy told reporters before the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina.
"It got pretty complicated and messy, and I think with the way it happened, it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. There was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason. I think the best course of action is, if there [are] some people on there who aren't comfortable with coming back on, then Webb stays on and sees out his term."
While the peace talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf remain indecisive beyond the initial December 31 deadline, the conflict between the competing tours persists. A major issue at hand is the involvement of LIV Golf players, who are unable to accumulate ranking points from these competitions, in major championships.
Seven LIV Golf players, including Davis Love III, have received special invites to participate in the upcoming PGA Championship. McIlroy, who recently admitted being "too judgemental" of the initial LIV Golf players, believes that both sides must be willing to make concessions to resolve the ongoing feud. He referenced the Good Friday Agreement, a peace deal signed in 1998 that ended half a century of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, as an example.
"Neither side was happy. Catholics weren't happy, Protestants weren't happy, but it brought peace and then you just sort of learn to live with whatever has been negotiated," said McIlroy.
"[Today], my generation doesn't know any different – it's just this is what it's always been like and we've never known anything but peace. It's probably not going to feel great for either side. But if it's a place where the game of golf starts to thrive again and we can all get back together, then I think that's ultimately a really good thing."
McIlroy, who is aiming for his fourth victory at Quail Hollow Club, is currently in good form following his team win with fellow Irishman Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
"I've had a pretty slow start to the season, especially over here in the States," he reflected. "I felt like I needed something like that to get me going and, hopefully, that's the case."
Read also:
- Prodigies of sport: Littler's predecessors
- Nagelsmann's announcement: A restless Christmas for national team players
- What sports fans prefer to watch on television
- The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
Despite McIlroy's openness to returning to the PGA Tour policy board, some members expressed discomfort, leading him to complete his tenure until 2025. Amidst the ongoing conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, McIlroy, a supporter of reconciliation, drew a parallel with the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, emphasizing the importance of concessions for the betterment of golf.
Source: edition.cnn.com
