Rory McIlroy knows his comments will cause outrage in the dressing room. Photo: Getty Images/Alex Bairstow
Rory McIlroy knows it will happen. caused a huge stir among his fellow professionals, but the world number two warned that unless they were prepared to give up their cherished “independent contractor” status and play where they were told, the rapidly rising prize money would plummet.
As merger talks continue between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, speculation is growing about how the new entity will operate. McIlroy has previously said his “dream schedule” would be a global tour along the lines of Formula One, with a few months set aside for team events like the Indian Premier Cricket League.
However, while these remain mere “wishes” – although undoubtedly conscious desires – McIlroy seems confident of one thing. The multimillionaires in the locker room will soon have to sacrifice their professional freedom if they want to maintain their current wealth.
“You can't ask these media rights partners and sponsors for as much money as we can.” you ask them, but you can’t guarantee them the product they’re paying for,” McIlroy told Telegraph Sport.
“Unless you want to regress and go back to playing with the money we played with 10 years ago.
“If guys want to do this and remain independent contractors, that’s fine. But it's an alternative because you have sponsors who either refuse to play on the PGA Tour or are considering it because of the numbers they have to report.”
“Other sports can guarantee who's going to play. '
McIlroy was referring to longtime sponsors such as Honda, who pulled out after Sawgrass headquarters told them that in the chaotic landscape decimated by LIV, the privilege would be worth more. In response to LIV Golf's $25 million budget tournaments, the PGA Tour has increased its fees to $20 million in some cases. And even with that much outlay, a firm like Honda still won't guarantee big names will emerge.
“Look at other sports – they can guarantee who plays where,” he said. McIlroy. “But if media rights partners and funders don't see the point in providing this level of funding, then we need to do something.”
“There is no point in asking people to pay more for the same product they have been getting for the last 20 or 30 years. If you ask more from them, we will have to give a little too. This is normal business practice.”
It sounds straightforward and full of meaning, but McIlroy is well aware that the PGA and DP World Tour won't think of it in those terms, especially if the LIV rebels who jumped ship for hundreds of millions of dollars are included in the lineup. new order. McIlroy is confident there will be an uproar in the locker room.
“There probably will be, but the world has changed,” he said. “You know, I said recently that I've been trying to look at this through a very altruistic lens for the last few years. But I just got to the point where I was like, “I need to see reality.” If we want to make this thing sustainable, if you want the numbers we're counting on to be sustainable, then we need to give something back.”
“I was too judgmental”
McIlroy was referring to his comments on a podcast released last week in which he admitted he made a mistake by blaming former Ryder Cup teammates for moving to LIV for money. On Wednesday he repeated his regrets but admitted he found the reaction to his proposed change rather baffling.
“Yes, I was too judgmental of the professionals who abandoned ship early on,” he said. “But I'm doing this whole LIV pivot… look, I still don't think it adds anything to the game. But if it's done differently [in the IPL format], it could be helpful.”
McIlroy laughed when asked whether Greg Norman, chief executive of LIV, was right when he said after the statements that ” Rory fell on his sword,” admitting that LIV is a great product.
“Definitely not,” McIlroy responded. “I don’t think this kind of upheaval in the game over the last two years has been a big deal. And people might argue that it takes two to tango. If someone is willing to pay you more for your services than someone else, I understand that. But while I can understand it, I don't have to agree with it.”
McIlroy was speaking here at Dubai Creek Golf Club, where he is competing in his first event of the year. The inaugural Dubai Invitational will feature 60 professionals, including Tommy Fleetwood and European captain Luke Donald, playing alongside amateurs in the first three days before they take the field for Sunday's penalty shoot-out and the £333,000 first prize. By today's standards, this is insignificant.
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