Rory McIlroy not returning to PGA Tour board after ‘old wounds’ reopened

The PGA Tour’s internal politics have come into sharp focus after Rory McIlroy was stunningly prevented from returning to a position of power within the organization. McIlroy’s inability to serve on the PGA Tour policy council and as director of PGA Tour Enterprises is sure to cause consternation among sponsors and partners, including the European Tour Group.

Webb Simpson planned to resign from both boards, with the former US Open champion giving specific instructions that he wanted McIlroy to take over the positions. McIlroy, who was frustrated at being taken to unify golf, was happy to step forward.

However, this led to unrest within the all-powerful PGA Tour policy board. Members include Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth and there is no European representation. McIlroy had previously clashed with Cantlay and Spieth over the future of golf. After delay after delay in holding a vote on McIlroy’s return – he resigned from the policy council last November due to time constraints – Simpson will remain in place.

“It got quite complicated and quite messy,” McIlroy said. “I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that happened before. There was a segment of people on the board who perhaps didn’t like me coming back for one reason or another.

“I think the best course of action is, if there are people who don’t like me coming back, then I think Webb will just stay and finish out his term. I think he’s gotten to a point where he’s comfortable with that and I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing.

“I raised my hand to help and it was… I wouldn’t say it was turned down, it was a complicated process to get through to get me back on my feet there. So that’s all fine, no hard feelings and we’ll all move on.

“My fear was that if Webb stepped down and I didn’t go in his place, what could happen. “I am very pleased that Webb has made the decision to stay on and serve the remainder of his term.”

Those familiar with the situation have told the Guardian that lesser and alternative posts had been suggested for McIlroy, which he was unwilling to accept. When they speak publicly, policy board members are likely to raise governance issues related to Simpson’s de facto handing over of his directorships to McIlroy. However, such a point would be undermined by the processes that put Woods and Spieth on the board.

McIlroy believes golf requires a global schedule, as a means for traditional tours to partner with the Saudi-funded LIV circuit. “I’m impatient because I think we have this opportunity to make it happen,” world number 2 added. “I compare it a bit with the period when Northern Ireland went through the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement in the 1990s. Neither side was happy. Catholics weren’t happy, Protestants weren’t happy, but it brought peace and then you just learn to live with what was negotiated, right?

“That was in 1998 and 25 years ahead, my generation doesn’t know any different. It has always been that way and we have never known anything but peace. That’s kind of my way of thinking about it and showing both sides that there could be a compromise here.