Is Rory McIlroy Re-Joining PGA Tour Policy Board? Unfolding the Million-Dollar Question of Golf World

Wasn’t Rory McIlroy trying to focus more on his professional and personal life? and thus chose to step down from the position of one of the player directors for PAC. But what now? Has the past 6 months changed McIlroy’s perspective on the PGA Tour Policy Board being a hindrance in his life?

A week ago, the Guardian reported the 34-year-old planning to replace Webb Simpson on the Player Advisory Council. The two players had a conversation and Simpson wanted McIlroy to take his seat. Before he clinched the 25th victory of his PGA Tour career in New Orleans, McIlroy revealed exactly what he thought about the rumors of him rejoining the PAC squad.

Rory McIlroy entertains the idea of rejoining the PGA Tour policy board

According to the 25-time PGA Tour winner, since his departure, there hasn’t been much progress on the PGA Tour. McIlroy believes that he can be an asset for the Tour. He weighed it down and expressed that, because he has many good connections, including with PIF’s Yasir Al-Rumayyan, he can move the needle in the right direction and stated, “I could be helpful to the process,”

All of this was only possible if other players’s directors, Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, and Jordan Spieth, wanted him back. He discussed the same with Webb Simpson over a call. McIlroy explained that being back on the policy board cannot happen in a jiffy and it doesn’t depend on him. Rather, a professional process has to be followed, and through voting, that will decide whether he will be back on the policy board or not.

What if the voting does favor him? Will McIlroy still present his unification ideas? The answer is yes! He will put forth his ideas for uniting the world of golf. Previously, the Northern Irishman had opined for a global league where all golfers could be together. McIlroy asserted that he would still pursue the same idea. Why? because, per the 25-time PGA Tour winner, “It’s the only way forward for the game of golf.” 

Notably, not many on the policy board share the same sentiments as McIlroy when it comes to the topic of the unification of the sport. Recently, he was in a cold war with Spieth as the 30-year-old believed that the PGA Tour didn’t need PIF after SSG’s $3 billion investment. On the other hand, McIlroy believed that it would be better if PIF and the PGA Tour shook hands. Moreover, McIlroy has described his relationship with Cantlay as “average at best.” Then, how will the 34-year-old work through opinion clashes?

How will McIlroy put forth his stance on the PGA Tour-PIF merger? 

McIlroy claimed that he would be ready to compromise, but not without putting his points forward. The Jupiter resident explained that he would make the rest of the members understand the positive impact of the unification of golf and how it can even be valuable for the PGA Tour. Billy Horschel said something similar when he agreed with McIlroy’s unification idea. 

At the same time, McIlroy understands that, at the current stage, there are still some sour feelings on both sides. But for the success of the game, McIlroy advised everybody, “At this point for the good of the game, we all need to put those feelings aside and all move forward together.” 

Hypothetically, if McIlroy does join PAC, wouldn’t his past woes of neglecting his pro-life return? Apparently, McIlroy never struggled professionally as a player director. When he joined the board for the first time in February 2021, McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship and had seven top-10 finishes that year. So professionally, he was thriving.

However, things were a bit stressful while at home. He described taking 2 to 3 calls a week, which may have hindered his family time. Nonetheless, the Northern Irishman may be more likely to join the PAC again, but his focus would still be on playing golf. Rory McIlroy believes that instead of trying to run a $15 billion corporation as a golfer, what they need to do is, “go out there and play golf and let the business people do the business things.” 

With his current stance on everything, it is highly likely that Rory McIlroy may be back on the PGA Tour’s policy board.