Rory McIlroy says any gamers who had their “emotions harm” by friends taking big-money presents to hitch LIV needed to “recover from it” as PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan declared reunification with the breakaway tour was now his No.1 precedence.
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Monahan stated his assembly with US President Donald Trump, additionally attended by Australian veteran Adam Scott, took strikes to convey the excursions nearer collectively a “lot nearer”.
As each the US and British Opens created exemptions for LIV gamers, Monahan, who has been negotiating with LIV backers the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia over probably billions of {dollars} of funding, declared a coming collectively was now his objective.
“The one factor that issues to followers and the sport is reunification,” Monahan stated.
McIlroy added his assist to the concept, declaring LIV gamers with PGA Tour standing, like reigning US Open champ Bryson DeChambeau, ought to “come again”.
“There are guys that had been on the PGA Tour that went to play on LIV and in the event that they nonetheless have standing, positive, come again, come again and play,” he stated.
“Having Bryson DeChambeau come again and play on this tour is sweet.”
On Wednesday, five-time main champion and LIV star Brooks Koepka declared LIV was now “a part of the golf ecosystem” and McIlroy, one of many strongest critics when LIV first poached gamers on nine-figure contracts, agreed.
McIlroy stated gamers who turned down massive cash to remain loyal to the tour ought to welcome it too.
“I feel everybody has simply received to recover from it and all of us need to say, ‘OK, that is the place to begin and we transfer ahead. We don’t look behind us, we don’t look to the previous’,” McIlroy stated.
“No matter has occurred has occurred, and it’s been unlucky. However reunification, how all of us come again collectively and transfer ahead, that’s the very best factor for everybody.
“If persons are butt-hurt, or have their emotions harm as a result of guys went or no matter, like who cares? Let’s transfer ahead collectively and let’s simply attempt to get this factor going once more and do what’s finest for the sport.”
The Saudi PIF spent near $2bn to launch LIV, a determine that could possibly be matched in funding with the PGA Tour.
With PGA Tour purses growing, together with eight $30m signature occasions, McIlroy stated it was arduous to argue with LIV’s affect.
“We’re taking part in for a $20m prize fund this week.,” he stated forward of the Genesis Invitational.
“That will have by no means occurred if LIV hadn’t have come round.”