Rory McIlroy: Golf’s traditions stand in the way of a peace agreement between the tours

Rory McIlroy believes professional men’s golf will have to abandon at least some of its cherished “traditions” if a peace deal with the Saudis is to be reached to take the sport into a new, successful era.

McIlroy plays at the Dunhill Links – the famous pro-am in Fife and Angus which starts on Thursday – and so on Telegraph sports The same was announced earlier this week, as were PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund, which finances the breakaway LIV Golf Series.

In fact, the two find themselves in the same four-ball in the first round at Carnoustie, an unimaginable scenario when LIV was founded three years ago and which many in the game believe could be a symbolic moment in this sporting civil war, as the Negotiations apparently still in progress are deadlock.

And with DP World Tour managing director Guy Kinnings also in attendance, it will be the first time the trio have appeared in public in the same week and at the same venue since the saga began.

McIlroy, who is playing with father Gerry in the $5 million event, welcomed the coming together of the three heads and believes it is a positive step. But while the world No. 3 is optimistic enough to be confident that good news will arrive before Christmas, he also believes that golf needs to change some of what he cares about and move with the times to ensure he continues to be successful.

“You know, there’s no better place than the home of golf to bring everyone together and talk,” McIlroy told BBC Northern Ireland after his practice round at the Old Course in St Andrews, which is a venue alongside Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

“It’s a great thing and a good sign that Jay and Yasir are both here and playing together. It’s a step in the right direction. Time will tell if things go in the direction that I and many people want. We all understand that it’s not easy, and you know that changes in golf are largely met with resistance because it is such a traditional sport. But at this point, changes are needed to move the game forward and hopefully we can get to that point.”

Asked when news of a deal might be announced, he replied: “Definitely before the end of the year. Maybe the people who play golf are going too slowly. But I think in the business world, deals of this size take time. You know, you’re talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions in the Middle East, the US and Europe.”

McIlroy’s confidence is at odds with other insiders who can’t imagine the parties compromising so quickly, especially with the PGA Tour players who essentially run Monahan’s board. And if an agreement is not reached in the coming months, there is speculation that the DP World Tour could be interested in leaving the “strategic alliance” with the PGA Tour and, together with the Saudi billions, set out to create a global one To build a race track to compete with the American race track.

With amateurs playing alongside the pros until the final round, it’s sometimes difficult to take Dunhill seriously, but there are 14 LIV players in the field this week, including names like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton, Talor Gooch and Patrick Reed it will be a glimpse of a future in which the best – regardless of their tour – compete against each other in tournaments other than the majors.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, savings and more.