Rory McIlroy brutally honest about the PIF deal and the influence of LIV Golf!

• Golf

Rory McIlroy, from the first day of LIV Golf, was a man who criticized the eponymous Tour and wanted the PGA Tour to continue its dominance. The conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf lasted for a long time, and in the end, there was a big turnaround.

Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, decided to conclude an agreement with the PIF, which also meant the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger. Most golfers were not informed about it. Their disappointment was clear as soon as news of the merger broke.

Rory McIlroy decided a few days ago to comment on the whole situation and the chaos that arose. The Northern Irishman has revealed what he thinks about PIF. “The way I’ve looked at it is if the PIF are really interested in golf and they want to get in the system, at least if we provide them with a pathway to play within the system where they are not taking over the sport," -Rory McIlroy told Off The Ball's Golf Weekly podcast, as quoted by golfmonthly.com.

“It neutralises any threat of LIV becoming something that it hopefully shouldn’t become. And they play within the boundaries that are set within our sport, and we all go from there. The only thing I would say about the PIF investments in other sports is that they went in and played with the ecosystems of those other sports.

They didn’t try to buy F1, they didn’t try to buy the Premier League. Yes, they bought a Premier League football club in Newcastle and it’s worked out really well for them”.

Rory McIlroy: There are so many ways you can look at it

Rory McIlroy and the rest of the players found themselves in a strange position, considering that they were not included in the whole story.

It is certain that the majority is not happy with the decision of Monahan, but they have to accept things. Rory McIlroy thinks PIF could do good things. It is difficult to clearly predict what the future holds for the golf scene, but one must be optimistic!

"You see everything else happening in the world, you see big private equity companies in the America taking their money - the biggest companies in the world. There's a lot of whataboutism and all that stuff, but at the same time, if this is what is happening, then the way I've framed it is that the world has decided for me in a way.

I mean, I've met the guys involved in PIF, I've sat with Yasir, I've talked to him. I don't know what his beliefs are and whatever, but at the same time I've lived in Dubai and the people there who are some my closest friends have the same beliefs as some of these people who we are criticising, so I'd be a hypocrite if I'm not criticising my friends in Dubai then why am I criticising these people? There are so many ways you can look at it."