Sign Contracts Or Risk More Sponsors Pulling Out - Rory McIlroy's Message To Players

Rory McIlroy may be preparing for his first start of 2024 at the Dubai Invitational, but the direction of the elite game as a whole is still close to his thoughts.

The 34-year-old began the week outlining his “dream scenario” of an F1-style world tour to Golf Digest's John Huggan. Now, he has explained how he thinks pros will need to adapt to the changing landscape.

McIlroy spoke to the media ahead of the inaugural event at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, and began by pointing out that his idea of a world tour could become a reality given the existing schedules.

“I think informally, we sort of have most of that global schedule, anyway," he explained. "If you look at what all the tournaments that all the top players play, informally, sort of without any structure without it between a few different tours, I think we have at least the majority of what a global tour would look like.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund behind LIV Golf is still negotiating with the PGA Tour over a framework agreement that would see the former rivals work together. While the direction of the game is unlikely to be known until those talks conclude, McIlroy implored others to consider the game as a whole.

He continued: “I think if we really want to, if everyone is talking about growing the game and trying to, especially if these investors are going to come into our game and they want a return on their capital, I think everyone needs to start thinking more globally around it but globally in a holistic way but not really like this tour, that tour and another tour."

McIlroy also suggested it’s not just the powers-that-be who need to think differently, but that players need be adaptable, too – particularly over their willingness to commit to certain events.

"When you look at different sports and the media landscape and how much these media companies are paying for sporting events, I think you have to be able to guarantee them the product that they are paying for," he said. "So in my opinion, yeah, I would say that people would have to be contracted and sign up to a certain number of events every year; that the sponsors and media partners know that the guys they want to be there are going to be.”

That’s an issue McIlroy also addressed in an exclusive interview with The Telegraph’s Golf Correspondent James Corrigan. He said: “You can’t ask these media rights partners and sponsors for as much money as we’re asking them for and not be able to guarantee them the product they are paying for. Unless you want to regress and go back to playing for the money we played for 10 years ago.

“If the guys want to do that and stay independent contractors that’s fine. But that’s the alternative, because you’ve got sponsors that are either pulling out of the PGA Tour or are considering it, because of the numbers they’re having to put out.

“There’s no point in asking people to pay more for the same product they’ve been getting for the last 20 or 30 years. If you’re asking them for more, we need to give up a little bit as well. That’s just common business practice.”

McIlroy tees it up alongside Ryan Fox in the opening two rounds of the Dubai Invitational, with the pair beginning their first rounds at 12.14am ET (5.14am GMT), before heading out at 1.36am ET (6.36am GMT) the day after.