Rory McIlroy makes bizarre 'Good Friday Agreement' comparison between PGA Tour and PIF merger deal

Rory McIlroy will not be part of the negotiations for the PGA Tour and PIF merger, as he declined to return to a spot on the Policy Board. He does, however, have his eyes firmly set on what's going on there. The Irishman had a rather unique comparison to the current situation that has grabbed the attention of many.

Per golf reporter Kyle Porter of CBS Sports, McIlroy said:

"So in terms of I would say I'm impatient because I think we've got this window of opportunity to get it done, because both sides from a business perspective I wouldn't say need to get it done, but it makes sense."

He then added a very interesting comparison of the two sides of this merger:

"And I just think -- I sort of liken it to like when Northern Ireland went through the peace process in the '90s and the Good Friday Agreement, neither side was happy."

The Ryder Cup star said that after the Good Friday Agreement, neither Catholics nor Protestants were happy with what had transpired. It ultimately did bring some peace and everyone learned to live with what had been negotiated. That would, in his eyes, be how the PGA Tour PIF merger would go down.

He continued:

"That was in 1998 or whatever it was and 20, 25, 30 years ahead, my generation doesn't know any different. It's just this is what it's always been like and we've never known anything but peace."

McIlroy said that this view and comparison was primarily his way of seeing both sides of this and envisioning what the future might look like. He admitted that it probably won't feel "great" for either side of the merger, but that this is how the game of golf can thrive again, putting the best players back together. That's something he called "ultimately a really good thing."

---

Rory McIlroy cites lack of comfort by board for why he's not coming back

For a long time, Rory McIlroy was the champion of the PGA Tour. He was on the Policy Board and out on the front lines in the media propping up the Tour and disparaging LIV Golf. That all changed eventually.

Rory McIlroy is not returning to the PGA Tour Policy Board

The Irishman ultimately stepped down from that role and softened his stance on LIV tremendously. It sparked false rumors that they'd signed him to a major contract. Today, he's much more amicable towards the tour, and he wants to see golf succeed with the pending merger.

But he also will not be returning to that role on the Policy Board. Webb Simpson offered to resign and provide McIlroy a spot back where he used to reside, but the 2024 Zurich Classic winner did an about-face.

Citing a discomfort by some members of the board, he decided it was best for Simpson to stay on the board and for McIlroy to remain firmly a player and not get involved with the upper management during this time.