Although it seemed that Webb Simpson would resign from his position on the PGA Tour Policy Board, such an outcome will obviously not be seen. Rory McIlroy was mentioned as the main candidate to succeed the brilliant Simpson, but the Northern Irishman changed his mind for several reasons.
McIlroy was close to returning to the PGA Tour Policy Board after deciding to resign from the same position at the end of last year. However, before the start of the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy confirmed that it would not happen in the near future, believing that certain individuals are uncomfortable with his return for some reasons.
Shortly after McIlroy’s statements, Webb Simpson reacted and shared his opinion on everything. Simpson is aware of how important McIlroy is in the world of golf and how influential his voice can be. Simpson believes that this is an opinion shared by his colleagues as well, knowing that Northern Ireland is one of the most popular names, and his involvement can be important for the future of this Tour. Simpson seems to have not noticed any aversion from anyone regarding McIlroy’s involvement in the PGA Tour Policy Board.
“I think the sentiment was Rory McIlroy, being the global superstar that he is and the strong voice that he has in the game of golf, you know, it would be great to get him involved more.
So, you know, what capacity is he going to get involved more? I think three weeks ago we just wanted him more involved, and I think I’ve seen support from the guys on wanting him more involved and helping.”- Simpson said, as quoted by Golf Monthly.
Rory McIlroy© Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images Sport
McIlroy’s colleagues were open to his return. In addition to the fact that he would play an important role on the PGA Tour, as a member of the DP World Tour he would give even greater importance to the whole story.
“I think the players on the board were very supportive of him being more involved, and in those conversations I think they all see the vital role he plays not only on the PGA Tour, but he’s a DP World Tour member and they’re such an important piece in the game of golf and our tour.”- he continued.
Simpson clarified that there hadn’t been any objections from current board members regarding McIlroy’s potential involvement. He explained that they needed to determine where McIlroy’s skills could be best utilized. Simpson mentioned that there are various roles that players undertake on different committees, and they wanted to find a place where McIlroy could contribute effectively. The approach was to consider the situation comprehensively and ensure that McIlroy’s involvement would be beneficial for everyone.
It seems that there are still some obstacles for Rory that he doesn’t want to directly address but which are preventing him from becoming part of the PGA Tour Policy Board. In his previous term, McIlroy likely had some issues with which he wasn’t satisfied. Rory has always been someone who wanted to be in an environment where he could showcase his best and be of assistance. The question is whether such an atmosphere exists at the PGA Tour Policy Board.
Webb Simpson on PGA Tour-LIV merger
Webb Simpson commented on the negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF, aiming for LIV Golf and the PGA Tour to become one entity. Although it was expected that things would be concluded much earlier, the negotiations are still ongoing. Fans of this sport primarily want the negotiations to come to an end and for the merger to become a reality.
Simpson believes that the priority now is to understand what both Tours want and the direction they intend to take. He emphasizes that the second priority should be golf fans and how to reignite their interest in this sport. Simpson is generally someone who believes that many factors must be taken into account, given that golf is going through challenging times. A merger would be the best solution for everyone, but it’s still unknown how open both negotiating parties are to compromise and finalizing the deal.
“I think it’s now trying to figure out how do both of these entities work moving forward.
If the game of golf has suffered a little, if fans have voiced their opinion of being a little less disinterested [sic] than they were, how do we honor the fans, how do we get their interest back, do we honor our media partners or our title sponsors?”
Simpson is happy with PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, whom he sees as ready for a merger and partnership, and eager to finally set golf in the right direction.
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