Rory McIlroy is about as far from the average golf fan as you can get, both in terms of skill and stature in the game. But McIlroy is one of the few people now speaking openly about golf's virtual abandonment of its role as a fan-service organization in favor of vastly increasing the wealth of its players.
The day after PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan held a status quo press conference that was heavy on promises and light on content, McIlroy said: de facto Whether he wanted to or not, he listened to the players and offered his own perspective on the current state of golf. Many of the world's best players are on the breakaway LIV Golf Tour, so this weekend's The Players Championship is far away, but McIlroy is hoping for some form of reunification as soon as possible.
“I want the trains to speed up and end this problem,” he said.
McIlroy retracted highly critical comments that plagued LIV and the players who indulged in its wealth. He likes the more competitive framework of his PGA Tour and actually wants it to become even more competitive.
“The more char, the more [of players on and off the Tour] “This is supposed to be the most competitive golf tour in the world and I think I'm going to have to prove myself over and over again,” he said.
He pointed out that tennis only ranks players based on one year's performance, rather than golf's two years, and said, “That gives players an incentive to not be complacent.”
McIlroy has faced backlash from some members of the tour's rank and file, which he says is evidence the tour is losing focus.
“This is a membership organization issue,” McIlroy said. “Things are made for the members. And once they're made, you have to sell them to the fans, sponsors and media. To me, that seems a little backwards. What should happen is… I think we need to do that.'' We have to create something for the fans, sponsors and media, and then we have to sell it to the players and tell them to be a part of it. Because if they join, we all become part of the business. Now, when the business does well, we do well. That seems like a no-brainer to me. ”
McIlroy will tee off at 8:35 a.m. Thursday morning at The Players with Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland.