Rory McIlroy goes into detail about LIV ‘regret’ and Rahm’s Ryder Cup future

Rory McIlroy admits he regrets showing a lack of “empathy” to his peers during the LIV Golf breakaway and he hopes for the professional game to be reunified as soon as possible.

The four-time major champion said before the Canadian Open last week that he would have conducted himself differently when the likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau led an exodus of PGA Tour stars to Saudi Arabia-backed startup LIV.

The Northern Irishman was the PGA Tour’s de facto spokesman in the battle against LIV, frequently slamming the tour and some of the players who turned their back on the golf establishment that had served them well.

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But his stance has significantly changed since a “framework agreement” for a merger of the PGA Tour with LIV’s backer, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), was negotiated behind his back 12 months ago, with the 35-year-old pushing for reunification of the game at the highest level.

Speaking on the Beyond The Clubhouse podcast ahead of the opening round of The Memorial Tournament in Muirfield Village on Thursday, McIlroy was asked what specifically he regretted about his involvement in the early days of the professional golf’s civil war.

“Maybe putting so much into it and not really getting that much back in return,” he joked. “But I think people are going to do what they’re going to do. People are, ultimately going to make decisions that they feel is the best thing for themselves.

“For me, I maybe just didn’t have the empathy to understand where people were coming from whenever they decided to go to LIV. A couple of years down the line, I’ve got a better perspective on it.

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“It’s created this divide in the game, which is unfortunate, but hopefully in the future, we can all come back together, which will be great for everyone involved in golf. We see it four times a year and I think we need to see it more times than that.”

The final details of the merger of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF are yet to be agreed 12 months on from the announcement of the framework agreement, with numerous deadlines missed and directors resigning from the PGA Tour Policy Board in frustration over a lack of progress.

McIlroy was asked if a solution by 2026 would be satisfactory for him. He said: “These things take time, these things don’t happen overnight and there are going to have to be compromises made on both sides. 2026, if that just means we’ve got a year and a half left of this and 2026 looks a little different, I actually think that’s a pretty good timeline considering all the things that have to be worked out.”

Jon Rahm’s Ryder Cup future has been left up in the air as a result of his shock move to LIV in December, with obstacles still to navigate if the two-time major winner is to be on Luke Donald’s team ay Bethpage Black in 2025. But McIlroy was emphatic in his verdict when asked if Rahm will be involved as Europe defend their title.

“Absolutely,” McIlroy said. “I don’t see a world where Jon Rahm isn’t on the Ryder Cup team. We need him, he’s great in the team room and everyone loves him. Especially at Bethpage next time, we need Jon Rahm on that team. We need all the help we can get [with the crowds].”