| Dates: 9-12 March Venue: TPC Sawgrass, Florida |
| Protection: Dwell radio and textual content commentary on Radio 5 Sports activities Further, BBC Sounds and BBC Sport web site and app for ultimate two rounds |
LIV Golf has pressured the PGA Tour to alter its “antiquated system” for the “profit {of professional} golf at a excessive degree”, says Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy mentioned the Saudi Arabia-funded LIV tour was “lifeless within the water” 13 months in the past however now admits its influence.
Final week, the PGA Tour introduced a few of its occasions may have no-cut, smaller fields which many argue mirrors LIV.
“It already has had important relevance as a result of it is made the PGA Tour innovate and adapt,” mentioned McIlroy.
“It is pushed the PGA Tour to make these adjustments that can hopefully consolidate its long-term future.
“There is no such thing as a doubt that LIV has come alongside and it is benefited everybody that performs skilled golf at a excessive degree. I am not disputing that,” the four-time main winner added in an interview with BBC Sport Northern Eire.
The LIV contingent, which incorporates final yr’s winner and Open champion Cameron Smith, are absent from the 144-man subject teeing it up this week on the PGA Tour’s flagship $25m (£21m) occasion at Sawgrass, Florida.
And world quantity three McIlroy insists Australian Smith “has nobody responsible however himself” for being unable to defend the title.
“Would it not be nice if the defending champion was right here this week? In fact it could however he decided to go be part of a rival league.
“Due to that call, that is why he isn’t right here.”
World quantity 5 Smith is the primary participant to overlook a title defence at Sawgrass for non-injury causes.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan accepted that it was “awkward” that Smith was not enjoying however added: “Finally that is a call he made, and we have an unbelievable subject right here this week and a historical past and custom that one among these 144 goes to go search to get.”
Whereas McIlroy helps the PGA Tour’s determination to exclude LIV gamers from their occasions, he accepts that the upstart sequence has “uncovered a few weaknesses” which he believes shall be remedied by the adjustments that can consequence within the eight no-cut occasions having smaller fields and greater purses.
Some PGA Tour gamers have criticised the adjustments which have been characterised in some quarters as the sport’s already tremendous wealthy stars – equivalent to McIlroy – getting richer.
Nonetheless, the 33-year-old world quantity three defended the PGA Tour’s shake-up which is able to come into impact for the 2024 season.
“That is simply attempting to fill the gaps in somewhat bit, attempting to make the tour somewhat extra enticing, not only for its gamers however for its media companions who pay a lot cash to televise these occasions, for the sponsors that pay a lot cash and for the followers,” he mentioned.
“No-cut occasions have been round for ever. Tiger Woods has received 26 no-cut occasions in his profession. Jack Nicklaus received 20.
“And if I am going again to the followers a part of it and the sponsors and the media companions, I feel it could be good for them to ensure that the highest gamers are sticking round for 4 days.”
World primary Jon Rahm has acknowledged the affect of LIV however he isn’t as supportive of the brand new PGA Tour regime, which would require gamers to be current for all of the designated occasions.
“With out LIV Golf this would not have occurred, so to an extent, we must be grateful this risk has made the PGA Tour need to change issues,” he mentioned.
“I’m OK with sacrificing among the freedom we have had till now for the larger good of the Tour. However 100% of our freedom, simply being our schedule being informed precisely ‘that is what it’s a must to play’ was an enormous change straight away.
“I would really like to have the ability to have that freedom to nonetheless play what we need to play, I feel that’s crucial for all of us.”
PGA Tour will not turn out to be ‘handout’ sequence
McIlroy insisted that subsequent yr’s adjustments won’t imply males’s skilled golf’s premier circuit turns into a “handout tour”.
“It’s going to proceed to be a merit-based system,” he mentioned. “If something we’re simply attempting to make the tour somewhat extra aggressive and somewhat extra cut-throat in order that the highest gamers can actually elevate themselves and determine themselves as one of the best gamers.”
Requested whether or not the divide between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will imply there’s a tense environment at subsequent month’s Masters, the place gamers from each circuits shall be in motion, the previous world primary replied: “I do not assume so.”
Not one of the 4 males’s majors are organised by the PGA Tour, so LIV gamers with exemptions for the Masters, equivalent to former champions Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, are eligible to play at Augusta Nationwide in April, whereas Smith qualifies as a result of his world rating remains to be inside the highest 50.
McIlroy, who will go to the Masters hoping as soon as once more to turn out to be simply the sixth participant to finish the profession Grand Slam of successful the 4 majors, added: “I do not assume it is going to create any kind of environment.
“As skilled golfers, we’re too targeted on ourselves. We’re fairly egocentric people at instances.
“Are there guys there that I’d have talked to earlier than that I most likely will not discuss to now? Sure however once more you get into your personal little world.
“There are many gamers through the years that I’ve needed to play with that I most likely would have most well-liked to not.”
