WATCH: Rory McIlroy tees it off with his dad at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship ahead of play with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Jay Monahan

Rory McIlroy is teeing it up at the Old Course for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Ahead of the official start of the tournament, which is tomorrow (October 3), he took a practice hole with his father, Gerry. He and his father will later tee it up with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

McIlroy, decked in cold weather gear, strode up to the tee and calmly blasted his shot with a smile on his face. After that, he removed his toboggan for a picture with his father.

The toboggan returned after, and so did his club. He practiced an approach shot before walking down to the ball, the bitter wind whistling in the background. After making his putt, he briefly embraced his father.

You can watch it here:

The two are set to play with Monahan and Al-Rumayyan on Thursday at Carnoustie. On Friday, Monahan will join the McIlroy family while Al-Rumayyan will be with LIV star Louis Oosthuizen.

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Rory McIlroy opens up on pending PIF merger

The fact that Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan can play together is proof of the growth golf is undergoing. Adding Rory McIlroy, who once called for the dissolution of LIV Golf entirely, only adds more evidence.

While the two sides continue to try and work things out, McIlroy said there's perhaps no better place than Scotland, dubbed the "home of golf", for these two sides to work things out.

Rory McIlroy believes more info is coming soon (Imagn)

He was quoted as saying by Golf Magic:

"I think it's a great thing and good sign that Jay and Yasir are going to play together. And obviously you've got quite a big contingent over from LIV that are playing in this event."

There are 14 LIV players in the field for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Many of them were invited by Johann Rupert, who Rory McIlroy said is trying to bring the golf world back together.

He went on:

"If we need to be forced together in some way, he's trying to do that. I think it will be good. It's certainly a step in the right direction."

McIlroy was asked about the wait, as it's been longer than a year since the merger was announced and there's no end in sight. He responded:

"Maybe it's going too slow for the people that follow golf. In the business world, deals of this size take time. You are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions."

The golfer believes there will be much more clarity by the time the year is complete, adding that that gives them three months to continue to get work done and move towards a resolution.