“There still has to be consequences” - Rory McIlroy advocates for punishment of LIV Golf players despite recent merger

Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy has expressed his support for the general lines of the PIF/PGA agreement, but not for the return of players who played in LIV Golf. According to what he said on Wednesday at a press conference, there must be "consequences" for those who left the PGA Tour.

According to his own words, McIlroy believes that those who went to LIV Golf "irreparably damaged" the PGA Tour.

This is part of what the number three in the world ranking expressed, according to Golf Digest:

“What that [the deal] looks like for individual players in terms of keeping a tour card and bringing players back into the fold and then that sacrifices other people, that's where the anger comes from. I understand that. There still has to be consequences to actions.

“The people who left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this tour, started litigation against it. We can't just welcome them back in. That's not going to happen. I think that was the one thing that Jay was trying to get across yesterday is like: 'Guys, we're not just going to bring these guys back in and pretend like nothing has happened'. That is not going to happen.”

According to what has been reported so far, players who jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf would not be freely returning to their old circuit. There will be a process for these players to regain their cards as members of the competition.

However, how this will materialize remains unpublished. PGA commissioner Jay Monahan has explained that only a framework agreement has been signed so far and that the final details are being worked out.

Rory McIlroy on the merger

On the actual agreement reached between the PIF and the PGA, Rory McIlroy said that, from his perspective, it is a deal that will ultimately be beneficial to professional golf:

"When I try to remove myself from the situation and I look at the bigger picture, and I look at 10 years down the line, I think ultimately this is going to be good for the game of professional golf. I think it unifies it and it secures its financial future."

Rory McIlroy this Wednesday at the previews of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open (Image via Getty)

Rory McIlroy also expressed that, although certain details of the agreement are still not clear to him, he thinks that it will allow for a better environment in the world of golf.

He also expressed that, in his opinion, the alternative of accepting the Saudi financing responds to the conviction of knowing how to use it where it is most needed.

According to what he told the press, the Northern Irishman was informed of the agreement by golf businessman and PGA Tour Board member Jimmy Dunne. He called McIlroy in the early hours of last Tuesday to explain to him, in as much detail as possible, the agreement that would be made public in a few hours.