Rory McIlroy thinks there could be more no cut events coming to the PGA Tour as the organisation continues to look at ways to counter the LIV Golf threat.
One of the big differences between the PGA Tour and its bitter rival is the lack of cuts on the newer circuit. However, there are already several tournaments on the PGA Tour without a cut, including this year's FedEx Cup Playoffs. McIlroy, who was speaking ahead of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, has hinted more could be on the way.
He said: “If you look at where we've historically been, whenever the WGCs were still a thing, we had four of those, we had the two playoff events, now that's went to three, so that's six, then you had the two fall events, CJ and ZOZO. Historically we've had tournaments that haven't had cuts and really wasn't any grumbling about it before LIV came along. So I think you're going to see a mixture of both, to be honest with you.”
Despite an appetite to explore the possibility of more no cut tournaments, McIlroy was keen to stress that the history of some events should ensure they are left as they are. He said: "I think some tournaments more than others lend themselves to maybe having cuts and trying to keep some sort of history here, like we're at the old LA Open that has a ton of history here. Is this an event that maybe should keep a cut going forward? Potentially, because of the history of it."
Last year, it was reported that at a player only meeting spearheaded by McIlroy and Tiger Woods, the possibility of introducing 18 no-cut tournaments, to be fought over between the top 60 players, was discussed, and while the Northern Irishman didn’t go that far, he did admit the idea of more no cut events was being considered. He said: “We're thinking about all that sort of stuff. There's a ton of conversation around it.”
This week’s tournament is also the second elevated event in a row, after last week’s WM Phoenix Open. With more to come in 2023, and the potential for smaller fields in some of them in 2024, McIlroy was quick to reassure players who may struggle to reach them that there would be a way forward. He said: “The best players should be playing in them because ultimately the PGA Tour needs to be built around the best players, because that's what will maximize the value of the product. But that doesn't mean that there's not great storylines further down that list, which we're all very cognizant of.
“I've had tons of conversations with guys that are worried about what events they're going to play next year and all that. The one thing I said, look, no one's trying to screw the bottom half of the Tour here. If anything, we're trying to lift it up. We're trying to - if you have a, you know, I hate calling it a product, but a product that this year's forecast to do $2 billion in gross revenue, you're trying to grow that product as much as possible.”
