Less than 24 hours away from Scottie Scheffler making his mark on the 2024 Masters Tournament, LIV Golf is already making headlines.
Rory McIlroy, who is just a Masters title away from completing the career grand slam, is rumored to be in discussions with LIV, as reported by City A.M., an English outlet focused on business and finance.
Sources have indicated that a potential deal between McIlroy and LIV is in the works, valued at around $850 million with McIlroy also receiving a 2% stake in the company.
It’s worth noting that City A.M. mentioned the claims could not be verified.
When the Saudi-backed rival league to the PGA Tour emerged, McIlroy was a vocal opponent of LIV Golf. However, after the announcement of a framework agreement between LIV and the PGA Tour on June 6th, his stance has softened.
McIlroy later expressed feeling like a “sacrificial lamb” in the situation.
Recently, McIlroy has shown a more open attitude towards LIV Golf, stating in January that the organization has exposed flaws within the golf system.
Expressing surprise at the PGA Tour’s longevity, McIlroy commented, “I can’t believe the PGA Tour has done so well for so long.”
Should the deal with LIV come to fruition, it would be a major blow to the PGA Tour. Following Jon Rahm’s signing with LIV Golf in December, along with Tyrrell Hatton, several other former PGA Tour stars have also joined, including Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Cam Smith, and Dustin Johnson.
However, the impact of McIlroy’s potential move would be particularly significant.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was spotted at the Masters recently, following McIlroy’s group. When asked about it, McIlroy mentioned he had not seen him.
McIlroy is currently scheduled to participate in this week’s RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, the next Signature Event on the PGA Tour.
Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.