Rory McIlroy admits PGA Tour equity “never enough” as players flood to LIV Golf

Earlier this year, the PGA Tour and Strategic Sports Group signed a deal worth up to $3 billion. Some of that money will reportedly be given to PGA Tour players as stock payments for their loyalty.

Some of the projected share numbers were released Wednesday ahead of the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Tiger Woods will reportedly receive more than $100 million, while Rory McIlroy will receive the second-highest amount, $50 million.

McIlroy was asked for his thoughts on the information.

“I think one of the things we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is that it’s never enough,” McIlroy said Wednesday.

The PGA Tour will never be able to compete with LIV Golf and its seemingly endless funds.

Almost two-thirds of the injected funds will be distributed through equity. How much of a share a player receives depends on several factors.

Some of the factors include “career points” and how the golfer completed the Player Impact Program (PIF). Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are said to each receive $30 million.

McIlroy seems to understand that some players will want to go to LIV Golf no matter what the price is.

Earlier this month, rumors surfaced that McIlroy would be moving to LIV Golf in an $850 million contract. The four-time major winner quickly denied the allegations and said he would remain on the PGA Tour for the rest of his career.

This week, reports surfaced that McIlroy may also return to the PGA Tour Policy Committee.

“I don’t think there’s been much progress in the last eight months, but I was hopeful that there would be progress,” McIlroy said. “I think I can contribute to this process, but only if people want me to be involved.”

Webb Simpson’s resignation triggered this chain of events. McIlroy would be his replacement in this situation.

The Northern Irishman has expressed an interest in the seat if someone else wants it.

“I feel like I can help. I feel like I care a lot and I have pretty good experience and good connections within the game and in the broader ecosystem and everything that’s going on.” He said. “But at the end of the day, it’s not up to me to go back to the board. There’s a process that has to be followed.”

Nothing has been finalized regarding McIlroy’s return, but a vote will be taken to determine whether he will replace Simpson.

Photo credit: Gregory Schamus/Getty Images

The 33-year-old hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with LIV Golf’s players, but many of his opinions on the matter have changed since stepping down from the board in 2023. McIlroy has publicly expressed on numerous occasions how this rift is negatively impacting the sport. He feels unification is the only way forward for golf.

“We obviously recognize that for some reason the game is currently not unified, and there are still some difficult feelings and things that need to be addressed, but at this point we’re at a loss for the benefit of the game. I think we all need to clear those feelings up for ‘all of us to put that aside and move forward together,’ McIlroy said.

The PGA Tour has made multiple changes to its schedule over the past eight months and asked sponsors to provide additional funding where possible. There is more money involved in professional golf than ever before, but fewer people are watching.

Television ratings are stagnant and golf feels even more divided.

As the end of April approaches, there appears to be no movement on the PGA Tour’s contract with PIF. The deadline for the agreement was originally set for the end of December, but was postponed to April. But now everything seems to be at a standstill.

With just over 40 days until the June 6 announcement, can the PGA Tour and PIF find a way to reach an agreement and reunite golf?

Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough On all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirls and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.