Rory McIlroy has denied reports of a rift with Tiger Woods but admits the pair do not see eye to eye over the future of the game regarding the PGA Tour and PIF deal.
McIlroy’s bid to rejoin the PGA Tour policy board that he had resigned from six months ago was rejected by the likes of Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth but he is now on the ‘transactions committee’ as he attempts to help the PGA Tour and PIF strike a deal.
It was reported that Woods was one of the figures who blocked McIlrory’s return to the board but McIlroy insists their relationship is fine despite their differences on what the future of golf looks like.
“I would say, I mean, I think friends can have disagreements or not see things – I guess not — not see eye to eye on things but have disagreements on things,” McIlroy said. “I think that’s fine.
“But no, I wouldn’t say – we had a really good talk last Friday for 45 minutes just about a lot of different things.
“No, there’s no strain there. I think we might see the future of golf a little bit differently, but I don’t think that should place any strain on a relationship or on a friendship.”
McIlroy is on the transaction committee with Woods.
“I’m on that transaction committee, too,” McIlroy said. “I’ve already had calls with that group; I had a really good hour and a half Zoom with those guys on Sunday; we went through a 150-page doc about the future product model and everything.
“Yeah, I’m not on the board, but I’m in some way involved in that transaction committee. I don’t have a vote so I don’t – you know, I don’t have I guess a meaningful say in what happens in the future.
“But at least I can – I feel like I can be helpful on that committee, and that was sort of a compromise for I guess not getting a board seat.”
Returning to matters on the course, McIlroy is chasing a fourth win at the Wells Fargo Championship and after a four-under 67 for openers he is three shots behind Xander Schauffele in second place.
The Holywood man roared out of the traps with three birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes.
Four bogeys and three birdies coming home somewhat scuppered his progress but he was pleased with the progress in his long game as he ranked 2nd in strokes gained approach.
“Yeah, I’m hitting the ball really well again, with some of the shots that I hit out there today with the driver, some of the iron shots were much better, I feel like putting’s good,” he said.
“And I felt like things were starting to turn around for me in New Orleans, played a good weekend there.
“I got a really nice couple of feelings in my swing that week and I’ve just sort of tried to ingrain those over the last, whatever that is, 10 days. Yeah, it feels good.
“It was good to play a solid round of golf today. Left a couple out there, I feel, but at the same time I’ve got three more days to try to build on what I’ve done today.”
Seamus Power is eight shots off the pace on one-over after a disastrous finish gave him a disappointing 72.
Power was tied with McIlroy on four-under through 15 holes but a catastrophic finish of double bogey, bogey, double bogey along the Green Mile sent him tumbling down the leaderboard.
Needing to win the tournament to qualify for next week’s PGA Championship, his hopes have taken a huge hit.
Shane Lowry is four-over and in a share of 64th place in the 68-man field.
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