Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, once the PGA Tour’s top duo, have reportedly “fallen out” over LIV Golf.
The pair, who have been close friends and business partners for years, seem to have differing views on the future of golf.
McIlroy revealed on Wednesday that he had failed in his attempt to return to the PGA Tour Policy Board.
The Northern Irishman was a player director and sat on the board until he resigned in November due to frustrations over the tour’s direction
and the impact the role was having on his game and personal life. However, he accepted a plea from Webb Simpson last month to replace him after Simpson wanted to resign.
The policy board’s agenda includes ongoing negotiations between the tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF),
which funds LIV Golf, over a merger deal. McIlroy, once a staunch critic of the breakaway tour, has softened his stance recently and is pushing for efforts to reunify the game.
However, according to Golf Digest, Woods sees things differently. The 15-time major champion is one of six player directors on the tour and is central to talks with PIF, reports the Mirror. He was not keen on McIlroy returning to the policy board.
Despite Woods and McIlroy maintaining a friendly relationship, their friendship has reportedly “soured” due to differing visions for the future of golf, leading to a sort of disagreement between the two.
Ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship on Wednesday, McIlroy stated: “I think it got pretty complicated and pretty messy, and I think with the way it happened, I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. There was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason.”
The alliance between Woods and McIlroy is likely to lead to some awkward situations. Both are co-founders of TMRW Sports, the organization responsible for the 2025 launch of TGL, an indoor tech-infused golf league with made-for-TV matches starting on ESPN in January.
Last year, McIlroy told GolfWeekly that he and Woods communicate “Every other day almost”. He added: “He’s a great resource, and if there’s anything I ever need to ask, we don’t live too far away from each other in Florida. He’s shown me some things that I don’t know if he’s shown anyone else but Charlie [Woods’ son], [Justin Thomas] as well.”
“He’s the biggest golf nerd I’ve ever come across. He knows everything about everything, he watches everything. He lets on that he doesn’t but he watches so much.”
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Source: USA Today
