Rory McIlroy It is doubtful that the rift in golf will be repaired as the “irrational” spending of the LIV Series has created such a gap in the game.
There were hopes that the acrimonious divide, which occurred when the Saudi breakaway league lured several top stars with big contracts into 2021, could be healed when a merger is proposed.
But more than two and a half years after it was considered, both sides appear to be no closer to a solution.
“You look at some of these other sports that have been fragmented for so long,” McIlroy told CNBC’s CEO Council Forum. “You look at boxing for example, or you look at what’s happened in motor racing in the United States with Indy and NASCAR and all that other stuff, I think it would be better if there was unification for golf in general.
“But I think it will be very difficult to do given what has happened in the last few years.
“As someone who supports the traditional structure of men’s professional golf, we have to realize that we were trying to deal with guys who were, in some ways, illogically, just operating in terms of the capital they were allocating and the money they were spending.
“It’s been four or five years and still no returns, but even to maintain what they have now they have to spend that money.
“A lot of these guys have their contracts expired. They’re going to demand the same number or even bigger numbers. LIV has spent five or six billion US dollars, and they’re going to have to spend another five or six billion US dollars to keep where they are.
“I’m more comfortable being on the PGA Tour side than their side, but who knows what will happen?”
LIV Golfer Bryson DeChambeau Believe that both the parties are far apart at the moment.
“I want something big to happen but I don’t think it’s going to happen in the immediate future,” he told Fox News.
“I think there’s a lot of want on both sides and not enough funding on the other side.
“We are far apart in many things. It will take some time, but ultimately, I think the game of golf will grow internationally.”
