Ace golfer Rory McIlroy expressed his desire to participate in a tournament supported by LIV Golf, provided its format undergoes changes similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket. The Northern Irishman has been consistently critical of the Saudi-backed breakaway, which has attracted several prominent golfers away from the PGA Tour to join a team-based circuit involving 48 players.
Speaking to the Stick to Football podcast, McIlroy said: “I would love LIV to turn into the IPL of golf.
Discussions between the PGA Tour and LIV persist as they attempt to find a resolution that could unite the two organizations and resolve divisions in the sport. However, a compromise has yet to be reached. Court documents from last year disclosed the possibility of Rory McIlroy and American Tiger Woods being offered ownership of LIV team franchises as part of a proposed peace agreement involving the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and PIF.
In contrast, the Indian Premier League represents cricket’s foremost T20 league, often receiving a dedicated slot in the cricket calendar. Players are offered substantial financial incentives to compete for one of the franchises.
One of the notable distinctions between LIV and the established tours is that LIV’s circuit revolves around team events, where its 48 players are divided into 12 teams.
“They take two months off the calendar. You go and do this team stuff and it’s a bit different and is a different format.
“If they were to do something like that I would say ‘yeah that sounds like fun’ because you are working within the ecosystem.”
McIlroy’s recent comments may come as a surprise, considering his earlier stance when he expressed a willingness to retire from golf, stating, “if LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth.”
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