Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that Donald Trump’s return to the White House could mark a “huge moment” in golf’s ongoing civil war.
McIlroy, speaking to reporters ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, said that he was unaware of a deal already being struck between the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund, as was reported by a British tabloid over the weekend, but that the result of Tuesday’s presidential election could “clear the way” for a peace deal.
A few months ago, McIlroy said that the U.S. Department of Justice was one of the main obstacles to a deal, but having Trump, an avid golfer and LIV Golf proponent, back in office could influence the priorities of the DOJ and help get a deal across the line.
“Given today’s news with what’s happened in America, I think that clears the way a little bit,” he said. “So we’ll see.”
Appearing recently on the “Let’s Go!” podcast, Trump said that he could help strike a deal between the two warring sides in “15 minutes” and that the sport is better served with one predominant tour with all of the best players.
Asked about those comments Wednesday, McIlroy said: “He might be able to. He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too.
“I think, from the outside looking in, it’s probably a little less complication than it actually is. But obviously Trump has a great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows? But I think as President of the United States again, he’s probably got bigger things to focus on than golf.”
McIlroy, who is a member of the PGA Tour’s transaction subcommittee that is negotiating directly with the PIF, said that he hasn’t “heard a thing” regarding a potential deal, even with Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in Saudi Arabia last week. But he added that the group is convening Wednesday night.
“So maybe some news comes out of that,” he said.
