Rory McIlroy resigned from the PGA Tour player advisory board as player director, citing “professional and personal commitments,” according to multiple reports Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- McIlroy served on the board for two years with his term expiring at the end of 2024.
- Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson will remain as player directors.
- McIlroy has been a longtime critic of LIV Golf and repeatedly defended the PGA Tour as numerous high-profile golfers left for the Saudi-backed league.
- The 34-year-old is ranked No. 2 in the world, is a four-time major champion and the co-founder – along with Woods – of the new TGL debuting in 2024.
How surprising was this?
From the moment McIlroy was brought in front of the media before the Canadian Open as the primary representative asked to speak about the announced PGA Tour deal with PIF, this day was always coming. That day, he said he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” to discuss a deal that happened behind his back and one he wasn’t entirely comfortable with.
And from then on, McIlroy scaled back his previously massive, public-facing role as something of a player-spokesman for the PGA Tour. He said in interviews all summer he was certainly focusing more on golf than he was a year ago. So this decision isn’t surprising, but it likely affirms McIlroy is done being the Tour’s moral beacon. — Brody Miller, staff golf writer
Does this signify some sort of major rift?
Likely not. McIlroy is still a major business partner with the PGA Tour as maybe its biggest star and the co-founder of its new TGL indoor league that launches in January. He even did press with his new Boston team last week. The best explanation can really be found in McIlroy’s comments at the Tour Championship in August:
“I feel like everything’s a little more settled. You know, I remember this time last year being on a board call at 7:30 in the morning on the Tuesday trying to get all that stuff ratified and get it passed through the board. I’ve been able to focus a little bit more just on golf and my game and even able to take two days at home between Chicago and here, getting to spend some time with the girls. That’s been really nice. So, yeah, I would say everything’s just a little more balanced and a little more calm this year.” — Miller
Required reading
(Photo: Andrew Redington / Getty Images)
