PGA-LIV merger LIVE: Rory McIlroy speaks to media and latest golf news and updates

“The one thing that was really misconstrued yesterday was that all the headlines were ‘PGA Tour merges with LIV’. LIV has got nothing to do with this. The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund are partnering to create a new company. All I’ve wanted to do is protect the future of the PGA Tour and protect the aspirational nature of the PGA Tour. I hope this does that. But the headlines, that’s not how it’s structured. Technically anyone involved with LIV now must answer to Jay [Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner and CEO of the new entity].”

“There’s mixed emotions. I don’t understand all the intricacies. But at least it means the litigation goes away. We can start to work toward some sort of way of unifying the game at the elite level.”

McIlroy reveals he was told of the news on Tuesday, just before the PGA’s statement was released. “I learned about it pretty much the same time as everyone else. It was a surprise. I knew there were lines of communication but I didn’t expect it to happen as quickly as it did. But I really think the Tour felt they were in a real position of strength coming off the back of the DP World’s case in London...

“Ultimately when I look at the bigger picture, 10 years down the line, it’s going to be good for the game of professional golf. It secures its financial future.”

McIlroy appears to have taken a significant U-turn on the issue. He says: “At the end of the day money talks and you’d rather have them as a partner.” He says that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf merger is “ultimately good for the game of professional golf”.

Asked about how the merger effects Ryder Cup & DP World Tour, McIlroy says: “I don’t think it changes… I think it’s a moot point because they resigned their membership. If you’re not a member you can’t play in the Ryder Cup.”

Rory McIlroy strikes a defeated tone: “I see what’s happened in other sports, I see what’s happened in other businesses. I’ve just resigned myself to it.”

Rory McIlroy speaks: “It was heated,” he says on yesterday’s players’ meeting.

Jay Monahan accepted that he will be labelled a “hypocrite” after the players’ meeting but insisted those who remained loyal to the PGA Tour had made the right decision.

“They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model,” Monahan said.

“We have significantly invested in our business in 2023, we’re going to do so in ‘24. (But) we’ve had to invest back in our business through our reserves. Between our reserves, the legal fees, our underpin and our commitment to the DP World Tour and their legal fees, it’s been significant.

“But this puts us in a position where we’ve got capital that we can deploy to the benefit of our members and through our tournaments, and it gives us capital to deploy in growth businesses that ultimately will generate a return that we’ll reinvest in our players.”

Asked if the likes of Woods and McIlroy would be compensated for turning down lucrative offers from LIV, or whether those who took massive pay-outs to join the breakaway would have to pay that money back, Monahan said: “I think those are all the serious conversations that we’re going to have.

“Ultimately everything needs to be considered. Ultimately what you’re talking about is an equalisation over time and I think that’s a fair and reasonable concept.”

The Future

Saudi Arabia wants to make its Pro League one of the premier domestic leagues in the world and is set to keep adding star names to boost its profile and ability to generate revenue.

But Saudi ambitions extend to the very crown jewels of sport - there have been reports of a Saudi bid alongside Greece and Egypt for the 2030 World Cup and even of hosting an Olympic Games.

Snooker

A deal had been done for Riyadh to stage a World Snooker Tour event in October 2020 with a £2.5million prize pot before the Covid-19 pandemic wrecked those plans.

Horse racing

Saudi Arabia has a well-established history in racing, like a lot of Middle Eastern countries.

Prince Khalid Abdullah, until his recent death, owned the likes of Dancing Brave and Frankel and his legacy lives on through the Juddmonte breeding operation.

However, recently the country has taken a far more prevalent role in the sport with the introduction of the Saudi Cup, the richest race in the world at 20m US dollars and that meeting in February is likely to go from strength to strength.