Rory McIlroy calls for ‘solution’ to bring best golfers back together – ‘Fans are losing interest’

Rory McIlroy admitted it is “a shame” that some of the best players in the world won’t be in action at this week’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

The PGA Tour’s $25 million flagship event is known unofficially as the ‘fifth major’ but is missing some serious star power on its 50th anniversary due to the split at the top of the men’s game.

LIV Golf has managed to sign a host of big names, and while peace talks between the two camps are ongoing, players who defected are still unable to compete on the PGA Tour.

McIlroy has been one of the most vocal critics of LIV Golf, which is fronted by Greg Norman, but has since softened his stance.

LIV Golf launched in the summer of 2022 and shockwaves were sent through the sport when the likes of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were included in the list of players for the first event at the Centurion Club.

Since then, they have been joined by fellow major champions Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and 2022 Players champion Cameron Smith.

That means they won’t be in action at Pete Dye’s iconic TPC Sawgrass layout this week, with McIlroy expressing his concern that the situation has left fans with a sour taste.

“It’s the biggest tournament outside of major championship and you don’t have all the best players in the world here, that’s a shame,” McIlroy added. “I hope that changes quickly because unfortunately I think fans are losing interest.

“In the wider world of golf I think people will tune in four weeks of the year for the majors, but I would like to think golf can be more relevant than just four weeks a year, so the faster we can try to figure this thing out the better.”

One man who will be in action is defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

The American dominated at Bay Hill to win last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and was asked if he shared McIlroy’s worry that fans were losing out.

“When you’re talking about a fan perspective, you’re talking about millions of people, so there’s always a lot of perspectives in that group,” Scheffler said. “It just depends on who has the loudest voice.

“At the end of the day, I think we’re trying to do our best to create the best product for the fans, but we can’t control whether or not guys want to leave.

“If guys want to go take the money and leave, then that’s their decision. I’m not going to sit here and tell guys not to take hundreds of millions of dollars. If that’s what they think is best for their life, then go do it. I’m not going to sit here and force guys to stay on our tour.

“If the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left. We had a tour, we were all together, and the people that left are no longer here. At the end of the day, that’s where the splintering comes from.”