“Jordan Spieth is ring leader”; “Rory McIlroy needs to take the 400M and jump to LIV”: Fans react to Irish golfer not joining the PGA Tour board

2023 Ryder Cup – Morning Foursomes Matches
Rory McIlroy & Jordan Spieth, 2023 Ryder Cup (Image via Getty)

Rory McIlroy was expected to rejoin the PGA Tour Policy Board to help move along the negotiations between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the Tour.

He had previously resigned in November 2023 due to professional and personal reasons. However, McIlroy will not be rejoining the Policy Board.

McIlroy said ahead of the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship:

“It just got pretty complicated and pretty messy…With the way it happened it opened up some wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. And I think there was a subset of people on the board who were uncomfortable with me coming back on.”
Jordan Spieth replaced McIlroy on the PGA Tour Policy Board after his resignation. Spieth and McIlroy had a difference in opinion as McIlroy did not agree with Spieth’s take on the merger agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Spieth felt there was no need to have a deal with the PIF as he believed the $1.5 billion cash injection given to the PGA Tour by Strategic Sports Group was sufficient.

Fans online reacted to this latest development and speculated Spieth’s influence on McIlroy’s decision to not rejoin the Policy Board. A fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“Jordan Spieth is ring leader.”
Rumors of an alleged deal offered to Rory McIlroy from LIV Golf emerged after the 2024 Masters at Augusta National. A user wrote:

“Rory needs to take the 400 million and jump to LIV. The PGA [Tour] needs to learn hard lessons.”
Here are a few other fans’ reactions to the news:

“What’s more important to a PGA Tour pro- this role or winning majors? I think Rory knows his window is beginning to tighten,” a fan wrote.
“Good for the board. Rory turned his back on them as equally as Jay turned his on Rory. That said, two wrongs don’t make a right. Rory can’t be on the board and not be 100% in,” another X user posted.
“How are fans supposed to stay engaged at this point? I love Rory. Hope this all gets worked out quickly,” a fan wrote.
“Code for: @livgolf_league here I come. Prepare the 💰💰💰’s.” another fan speculated.
Why was Rory McIlroy going to return to the PGA Tour Policy Board?
Negotiations between LIV Golf’s primary investor, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and the PGA Tour have been underway for almost a year now. The PIF reportedly requested that Rory McIlroy be on the Tour’s Policy Board for the negotiations.

If McIlroy were to return to the Policy Board, Webb Simpson would have to step down. Several PGA Tour players were reportedly displeased with the news.

When previously asked if he would be returning to the board at a press conference during the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, McIlroy said:

“I think I can be helpful. I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess.”