Rory McIlroy offers grim outlook on PGA Tour negotiations with backers of LIV Golf. What he said
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rory McIlroy would not talk about his divorce Wednesday, but he revealed his lack of confidence in the PGA Tour when it comes to dealing with the backers of LIV Golf.
The Jupiter resident called Jimmy Dunne's decision Monday to resign from the PGA Tour’s policy board "a huge loss for the PGA Tour" in its negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund before presenting a bleak picture when it comes to the tour and LIV Golf coming together.
"I would say my confidence level on something getting done before last week was, you know, as low as it had been," he said. "And then with this news of Jimmy resigning and knowing the relationship he has with the other side, and how much warmth there is from the other side, it's concerning."
Last June, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan credited Dunne, the North Palm Beach resident and president of Seminole Golf Club, for sealing the framework agreement deal with PIF.
On Monday, Dunne said in a letter to the board his role had become "utterly superfluous."
McIlroy blames that for the talks stalling.
"Jimmy was basically the relationship, the sort of conduit between the PGA Tour and PIF," he said. "It's been really unfortunate that he has not been involved for the last few months, and I think part of the reason that everything is stalling at the minute is because of that.
"So it is, it's really, really disappointing, and you know, I think the tour is in a worse place because of it. We'll see. We'll see where it goes from here and we'll see what happens."
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Both sides originally offered a Dec. 31 deadline to reach a final agreement. With it coming up to a year since the announcement of a framework agreement, no deal appears close.
McIlroy's availability was brief compared with others who spoke this week ahead of the PGA Championship. On Monday, McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife, Erica, claiming their marriage is "irretrievably broken." The petition was filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts.
The couple, who live in Jupiter, have been married for seven years. They have one child together, daughter Poppy, who was born in 2020.
McIlroy has an 8:15 a.m. tee time for Thursday's first round at Louisville's Valhalla Country Club.
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf writer for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Rory McIlroy not talking about divorce; but crushes PGA Tour on LIV talks
