Rory McIlroy Says He Won't Return to PGA Tour Policy Board After 'Pretty Messy' Talks

Rory McIlroy has decided not to return to the PGA Tour policy board after previously resigning from the group in November.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at the site of the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy explained his decision came after some "pretty messy" talks in which other player directors had concerns about him returning to the board:

"There's been a lot of conversations. Sort of reminded me partly why I didn't [stay on the board]. So yeah, I think it got pretty complicated and pretty messy.

"I think with the way it happened, I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. I think there was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason."

McIlroy originally joined the board in 2022 after a three-year stint on the player advisory council.

Following his resignation in November, McIlroy told reporters the responsibilities were "not what I signed (up) for whenever I went on the Board" and the sport "has been in flux for the last two years" with the launch of LIV Golf.

McIlroy, who was originally set to be on the board through 2024, was part of a group on the policy board that also included Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson, Peter Malnati and Charley Hoffman. Jordan Spieth joined the board after McIlroy's departure.

ESPN's Mark Schlabach reported on April 23 that McIlroy was expected to return to the board, pending a vote, and replace Webb Simpson, who plans to step down before his term is scheduled to end in 2025.

The situation with McIlroy and the policy board comes at a time when the PGA Tour is still in the process of trying to finalize a deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a memo to players in March that was obtained by Schlabach that a meeting with himself, members of the board and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, were "constructive" and represented "an important part of our due diligence process in selecting potential investors for PGA Tour Enterprises."

The ongoing talks come nearly one year after the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf announced a deal to merge all of their commercial operations under one single banner.

While there was initially a Dec. 31 deadline to finalize terms of the agreement, the parties agreed to extend it until they could reach a deal. There has been no definitive updates about where things stand right now.

The PGA Tour reached a $3 billion deal with a consortium of billionaire sports team owners known as Strategic Sports Group in January. The money is paid out in two installments, with an initial investment of $1.5 billion and the possibility for a second $1.5 billion payment in the future.

McIlroy previously spoke out against LIV by saying he would "be super happy" if it went away. He has since softened his stance, but has consistently said joining the circuit isn't something that would interest him.