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McIlroy spoke to Trump on PGA-LIV deal, says new start needed

AFP
Friday, Feb 14, 2025

LOS ANGELES: Rory McIlroy spoke with President Donald Trump last month about stalled PGA Tour-LIV Golf talks and says top men´s golfers must set aside hurt feelings to make a new start.

The 35-year-old four-time major winner from Northern Ireland, coming off his 27th PGA Tour triumph two weeks ago at Pebble Beach, said Wednesday he played golf with Trump in early January and felt Trump backed the PGA over Saudi-backed LIV. “It was really good. I thought we had a good discussion,” McIlroy said. “I learned he´s not a fan of the LIV format. I was like, but you´ve hosted their events. He was like, yeah, but it doesn´t mean that I like it. So I think he´s on the tour´s side.”

Several top PGA players have bolted to upstart LIV Golf since its 2022 debut and were quickly banned by the PGA Tour, leaving major tournaments as the only place where golf´s elite men compete against each other.