Last December, Rory McIlroy resigned from his position as player director on the PGA Tour policy board. He cited the reason, “I resigned at the end of this year, but it was more to do with it was just taking up too much of my time. I just want to get back to being a golfer and playing golf.” Fast forward to early May, and the talks of the Northern Irishman taking a seat on the board in place of Webb Simpson were in order. However, in the end, the 26-time PGA Tour winner did not join the PGAT policy board.

However, McIlroy was given a non-voting member position at the PGA Tour Enterprises’s Transaction Subcommittee. The said committee is involved in direct communication with PIF for the $3 billion merger. The committee has been proactive in finalizing the merger since the start, as frequent meetings became a part of McIlroy’s schedule. Recently, McIlroy attended another meeting and had a positive update for the golf world after it.

Rory McIlroy describes the meeting between the PGA Tour and PIF

On Friday of the Memorial Tournament, Rory McIlroy, along with Transaction Subcommittee members Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Jay Monahan, Joe Ogilvie, and John Henry, met PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and other stakeholders to thoroughly discuss the presumably halted $3 billion merger.

After completing the third round, Rory McIlroy then shared what the outcome of the meeting was. At the post-round press conference, the 4-time major winner described the meeting as “very productive, very constructive, very collaborative” between the two parties. Additionally, McIlroy, though tight-lipped, also reassured the golf world about the future of the PGA Tour-PIF merger.

He said, “It was really good. Definitely things are heading in the right direction. A lot of progress was made. I can’t really say much more than that, but it was really positive.” Overall, the Northern Irishman found that the four-and-a-half-hour meeting was great. So much so that even after saying that he would rather be silent as it was “big boy stuff” McIlroy did turn his mic on to give a better perspective on the merger.

12 months after the June 6th announcement, the discussion on the future of the merger between PIF and the PGA Tour has started to gain some substantive developments. Despite the constant delays and hurdles along the way, the men’s bifurcated golf landscape may soon be unified. However. When can fans expect that? McIlroy chimes in to give a realistic timeline.

Rory McIlroy suggests a timeline for the PGA Tour-PIF merger verdict

A current advocate for men’s golf and its unification, Rory McIlroy has given the merger a lengthy period to get things done. Although the fans might want the bifurcated wings to come together sooner, McIlroy explained that these talks will take time to come to a final result as both sides will have to compromise something. But till when?

After the new CEO of the DP World Tour’s suggestion, the Northern Irishman also marked 2026 as the eventual season, where the $3 billion merger might be finalized. Reassuringly, McIlroy said, “2026, if that means we’ve just got a year-and-a-half left of this and 2026 looks a little different, I actually think that’s a pretty good timeline considering all of the things that have to be worked out.”

Things like the Department of Justice opening an antitrust probe on PIF, the differential schedule, and format of the leagues, and many disagreements will have to be mended before the finalization. Taking one step at a time, in the end, the PGA Tour and PIF will either collaborate or go in their own ways.