ESPN: Rory McIlroy to Replace Webb Simpson on PGA Tour Board amid LIV Contract Talks

Rory McIlroy is reportedly expected to return to the PGA Tour's policy board after resigning from his position as player director in November.

According to ESPN's Mark Schlabach, a vote on McIlroy's return to the board could come as early as this week, and if he is passed, he will replace current policy board player director Webb Simpson, who plans on stepping down before his two-year term ends in 2025.

McIlroy's reported return to the board comes at a pivotal time since the PGA Tour remains in talks with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund regarding a significant investment from the PIF and a potential merger with LIV Golf.

With the backing of the Saudi PIF, LIV Golf burst onto the scene in 2021, and it has poached several huge names from the PGA Tour since then, including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm.

With promises of massive contracts, fewer and shorter tournaments and bigger prize purses, LIV has succeeded in siphoning a great deal of talent from the PGA Tour.

That has led to a public war of words between some PGA Tour and LIV Golf players at points, and McIlroy has undoubtedly been among the staunchest PGA loyalists.

Because of that, it came as a surprise when the four-time major champion stepped down from his policy board post last year, citing personal and professional commitments.

McIlroy has remained vocal about the fractured professional golf scene since then, though, recently expressing his belief that a downturn in television ratings can be attributed to the lack of a united front, saying:

"I know this isn't a be-all, end-all, but if you look at the TV ratings of the PGA Tour this year, they're down 20 percent across the board. That's a fifth. That's big. I would say the numbers on LIV aren't great either in terms of the people tuning in.

"I just think with the fighting and everything that's went on over the past couple years, people are just getting really fatigued of it and it's turning people off men's professional golf, and that's not a good thing for anyone."

One thing that could potentially curb falling ratings is a PGA-LIV merger, which is something that was agreed to in June 2023, but has yet to be finalized.

As part of the deal, the PIF would have become the exclusive investor in the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, and the two sides would have worked together to create a cooperative schedule.

A merger also would have opened the door for LIV golfers to return to playing PGA Tour events, which they are currently banned from doing.

The merger has been a lengthy process, though, and with LIV continuing to sign players away from the PGA Tour, it is fair to wonder if the merger will actually come to fruition.

Still, PGA Tour officials are in talks with PIF officials, including governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and that includes McIlroy, who has spoken with Al-Rumayyan in the past.

Last month, McIlroy expressed his belief that there is a "disconnect" between LIV Golf and the PIF, and he suggested that the PGA Tour having talks with the PIF and finalizing an investment would be "a really good thing" for golf.