PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy, who recently resigned from his PGA Tour’s player-director position, said Sunday he “welcomes” the Monday meeting between tour players and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia that runs LIV Golf.
“Absolutely, I believe it must have happened months ago, so I’m glad that it’s happening,” McIlroy said of the meeting, which is reportedly going down on Monday at a personal home near TPC Sawgrass. “Hopefully, that progresses conversations and gets us closer to an answer.”
Asked if he believes Tiger Woods, who didn’t play the Players this week, must be involved within the meeting, McIlroy said, “I mean, he’s a player-director, he’s on the board, so absolutely he must be involved.’’
Asked what he believes the message of Al-Rumayyan needs to be within the meeting, McIlroy said, “That fundamentally he desires to do the proper thing. I actually have frolicked with Yasir and the folks that have represented him in LIV I believe have done him a disservice, to [LIV CEO Greg] Norman and people guys.
“I see the 2 entities, and I believe there’s a extremely big disconnect between PIF and LIV,” McIlroy went on. “I believe you bought PIF over here and LIV are form of over here doing their very own thing. So, the closer that we will get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I believe that shall be a extremely good thing.”
McIlroy was asked if, when he spoke to Yasir, he sensed a “bigger-picture view” than what’s going down at LIV Golf right away.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I believe there’s a strategy to incorporate … they’re big on team golf they usually wish to see team golf survive indirectly within the calendar. I don’t think it has to necessarily seem like LIV. I believe in my mind, it’s best to leave the person golf and then you definately play your team golf on the form of periphery of that.
“Nevertheless it’s going to require patience. People have contracts at LIV up until 2028, 2029. I don’t know in the event that they’re going to see that every one the way in which out, but I definitely see LIV playing in its current form for the subsequent couple years anyway while all the pieces gets discovered.
“I don’t think that is an overnight solution, but when we will get the investment [from LIV], then not less than we will start working towards a compromise where we’re not going to make everyone joyful, but not less than make everyone understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.’’
Sam Ryder didn’t win the Players Championship on Sunday, but he had quite every week at TPC Sawgrass.
Ryder broke the tournament record for many birdies within the tournament with 27, besting the previous record by one.
Ryder, who ended up shooting 69 Sunday and 10-under for the week, was scorching hot early in his round — 7-under-par in his first 11 holes. But a double bogey on No. 13 derailed his run up the leaderboard.
“Truthfully, it’s hard to imagine, because these guys, because these guys are making lots of birdies,’’ Ryder said. “That just goes to indicate it was an emotional roller coaster, but it surely’s cool. It’s at all times cool to have a record. Right away, I just walked off the course, so it’s hard to be too joyful about it, but it surely’s cool.’’
McIlroy, who had an up-and-down week as he finished 9-under, said he feels he made “a little bit little bit of progress from this time last Sunday on the Arnold Palmer,’’ adding, “Yeah, it’s there.’’
McIlroy shot 7-under 65 within the opening round and never was in a position to proceed his run.
“After the primary round, my expectations form of went sky high because I used to be like, ‘Oh, I believe I’ve figured it out.’ Then the last three days were a little bit bit more of a struggle. But I believe I’m headed in the proper direction.’’
McIlroy revealed that he may visit Augusta for an early Masters rehearsal “on the strategy to San Antonio’’ for the Valero Texas Open before the Masters.
“I would head up there on the Monday and play after which head to San Antonio,” McIlroy said. “When it comes to like preparation for the week and really entering into the mindset I would like to get into. So possibly a fast pit stop on the strategy to San Antonio to play a practice round and spend a while, but nothing planned as of yet.’’
McIlroy hasn’t won a significant championship for the reason that 2014 PGA Championship.