Rory McIlroy has expressed positivity about the participation of influential personalities in golf’s internal conflict at the forthcoming Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He anticipates an update on a potential agreement “certainly before the close of the year”.
PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan, has teamed up with Billy Horschel in the pro-am tournament and shares the same group with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund that funds LIV Golf. They are playing the first round of the championship at Carnoustie on Thursday.
Subsequently, Monahan will have a game with McIlroy at Kingsbarns on Friday, while McIlroy and Al-Rumayyan are scheduled to play together at St Andrews on Saturday.
An initial agreement was signed by the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the PIF in June 2023, but according to McIlroy, its enforcement is threatened by thorough examination by the US justice department and the division among the players.
During a warm-up session at St Andrews on Wednesday, McIlroy, in an interview with BBC Northern Ireland, revealed his optimism about the upcoming games. McIlroy said he sees it as a positive sign and a stride in the right direction that Jay and Yasir would be playing together on Thursday. He further expressed his hope that change, despite its resistance by this traditional sport, could enhance and move forward the golf game.
When asked about when that change might occur, he asserted it would be “certainly before the close of the year.”
“It might seem that things are progressing quite slowly for those who actively follow golf,” “However, transactions of this magnitude require time in commercial circles as multi-billion dollar deals are at stake, involving various territories like the Middle East, the United States, and Europe. The anatomy of such a deal is complex but we foresee more clarity coming towards the end of this year. Given that we’re already in October, the aim is to finalize things within the next three months and commence 2025 with fresh vigour, progress unitedly.”
Just a couple of weeks back, Horschel clinched his second BMW PGA Championship title by defeating McIlroy in a playoff. He had earlier condemned players who had initially teamed up with LIV as “disingenuous and truthless”, calling on them to steer clear of traditional tours. However, despite admitting that he still harbours “some resentment”, Horschel concedes that a shift in perspective is demanded due to the current state of affairs in golf.
In retrospect, discussing his statements prior to the Scottish Open 2022, Horschel confessed, “The rift we’ve managed to create in golf was beyond my imagination, leading to a decline in fan interest. The most adversely affected party here is the fans. I’m convinced that unification and return of harmony to the game, as well as portraying its future direction, is a necessity not just for those implicated but predominantly for the fans.
”As time passes, things begin to fade. I won’t deny that I still have some resentment, but I comprehend that in order for things to improve and heal, one must leave the past behind and continue moving forward.”
Here’s the breakdown of the forthcoming Alfred Dunhill Links Championship:
Prize money: €4.34m ($4.8m) – €740,000 ($856,139 to the winner).
Location: Fife, Scotland.
The competition: The Dunhill Links tournament takes place over three premier links courses along Scotland’s eastern coastline, namely Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and the Old Course at St Andrews. Both Carnoustie and St Andrews have hosted the Open Championship, and Kingsbarns is known for its captivating scenery, particularly when the autumn sun shines on the sea. Given the milder temperatures and softer fairways during this season, the course presents a distinct challenge. Predictably pleasant weather conditions, coupled with a mild breeze on three out of the four days, indicate that golfers could achieve low scores. The final round on Sunday will solely occur on the Old Course.
The contestants: Of the competitors, 14 are LIV golfers. This contributes to the event being one of the most rewarding of the DP World Tour. South African tycoon and tournament sponsor, Johann Rupert, aims to unite the golfing community, and has therefore extended invitations to golfers such as Brooks Koepka and Talor Gooch. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will be participating without fear of consequences using their existing DP World Tour cards, potentially accruing crucial Ryder Cup points with a win. Both Rahm and McIlroy, following their recent second-place results, are bookies’ favourites along with Tommy Fleetwood and BMW PGA Championship victor Billy Horschel.
Quotation: Robert MacIntyre, local favourite, discusses the tournament’s emotional importance saying, “This was my first professional event, and having my father caddy for me during a round I played as the amateur with the pros is what makes this week more special.”
Irish competitors: Rory McIlroy will be playing alongside Louis Oosthuizen at 9.11am, Pádraig Harrington is scheduled to play with Alex Noren at 10.17am and Shane Lowry will be with MacIntyre at 11.12am. All three will be starting their first round in Carnoustie. Tom McKibbin’s tee off time coincides with Lowry’s on Thursday, and he’s paired with Sebastian Soderberg at St Andrews.
In accordance with customary practice, Rory will be teeing off alongside his dad Gerry, in the company of Oosthuizen and Rupert. Also on the greens are actors Bill Murray, Andy Garcia, and Michael Douglas. Sports personalities such as Gareth Bale, Ruud Gullit and Kevin Pietersen are also participating. Yet the intriguing duo includes Jay Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, who is playing golf with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi PIF, amidst the static state of the merger discussions between the LIV and PGA Tours. The previous year’s winner, Matt Fitzpatrick, is once again hoping to perform at his peak while golfing with his mother Sue.
As for betting odds, both Rahm and McIlroy stand at 6-1, Fleetwood and Hatton at 10-1 and Lowry at 16-1.
Television viewers can tune into Sky Sports Golf from midday to watch the action unfold.