Rory McIlroy is returning to PGA Tour's Policy Board, per report

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – MARCH 15: PGA golfer Rory McIlroy hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during The Players Championship on March 15, 2024, at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

A week ago, Rory McIlroy was once again emphatically squashing rumors that he was leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, saying he would play on the American-based tour for the rest of his career. On Monday, it was reported that McIlroy is doubling down on that promise by once again returning to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board.

The Guardian reported the Ulsterman is expected to return to the board as a director for both the Policy Board and PGA Tour Enterprises as a replacement for Webb Simpson, whom, the Guardian said, offered his resignation with the request that McIlroy take his place. McIlroy is expected to be re-elected onto the board this week ahead of playing in the Zurich Classic.

A return to the policy fold by the tour’s strongest voice and one of its most popular players appears to be a promising development for the PGA Tour and DP World Tour as they move forward in a new business partnership with Strategic Sports Group, which will invest billions in the tours over the next several years.

It was only in November that the current World No. 2 resigned from the Policy Board, saying he wanted to focus more of his time on his family and his game.

Over the past year, McIlroy has changed his stances on the tense divide between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, going from an outspoken critic of the Saudi Arabia- backed league to saying that he has spoken to Yasir al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and believes “the game is way better with all of us together.”

Negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF have been ongoing, but there has been little indiciation of significant progress in recent weeks.