It's been nearly two years since the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced plans to merge, but the only instances in which we see players from the rival circuits compete against each other are at the four major championships and a few DP World Tour events.
And that appears to be just fine for Rory McIlroy—at least for the time being.
McIlroy has never hidden his overall disdain for the Saudi-backed series, stating on multiple occasions that he "hated" LIV Golf, which has spent hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars to poach several of the game's biggest stars, a list that includes major champions Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed, and Phil Mickelson, among others.
As arguably the most popular player over the last quarter-century not named Tiger Woods, Rory was viewed as the de facto spokesperson for the PGA Tour in its fight against LIV. So, it's easy to see why he felt a little betrayed when the framework agreement between the two sides was announced in June 2023.
He softened his stance a bit in January 2024, saying he was "maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start."
He even acknowledged that the rival circuit "exposed the flaws in the system of golf," seemingly referencing how the PGA Tour clearly copied the LIV format by establishing what we now call Signature Events, which feature limited fields (some with no cut) and elevated purses.
So, exactly where does McIlroy stand now?
Rory McIlroy says a PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger isn't needed "right this minute"
During a Friday appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box, McIlroy was asked by host Andrew Ross Sorkin where he thinks things stand between the ongoing PGA-LIV negotiations, and this was his response:
"You know, we talked about this the other day. I believe that a deal to bring everyone back together would ultimately be beneficial for the world of golf. I think the longer that you have all the best players only playing together four times a year is, you know, long-term is detrimental to the game as a whole.
"But at the same time, I look at the momentum that the PGA Tour has this year, and TV ratings are up again. And their, you know, their best players are winning and creating these storylines. So you know, I don’t necessarily think the PGA Tour needs to do a deal right this minute. But long term, for the, for the health of the professional game, you know, I think the two sides at some point need to come back together."
Rory is certainly correct in his assessment of the PGA Tour's television ratings, as the final round of the RBC Heritage, which featured Justin Thomas' return to the winner's circle after nearly three years, averaged 4.362 million viewers, peaking at six million.
It was the event's most-watched final round since 2002 and the most-watched final round on the PGA Tour since Viktor Hovland's victory at the 2023 Tour Championship.
And that wasn't a one-off at Harbour Town, as just about every single event this season has increased viewership compared to a season ago.
Even with a lengthy weather delay at TPC Sawgrass, roughly 3.6 million tuned in to NBC for the final round of The Players Championship, and another 1.5 million flipped on Golf Channel at 9:00 a.m. Eastern the following Monday morning to watch McIlroy defeat J.J. Spaun in a three-hole playoff, marking the second-highest weekday total on the network in two decades, trailing only the Friday of the 2021 Ryder Cup.
So, while McIlroy is right in saying the two sides need to come together at some point, he's also correct in stating the PGA Tour doesn't need LIV Golf right now.