Rory McIlroy reveals PGA board role isn't for him amid fears Patrick Cantlay will 'ruin' LIV deal

Rory McIlroy has revealed why he WON'T be joining the PGA Tour board.

An unnamed PGA tournament director had stressed how McIlroy's presence was "needed" to prevent American Patrick Cantlay from "ruining" the tour by opposing a potential deal with big rivals LIV Golf. The anonymous director told GolfWeek: “We need Rory back on the board. Had he stayed on he could’ve neutered Cantlay. He’s the only one with the power to neuter Cantlay. We need Rory to try to keep Cantlay from ruining the Tour.”

The source continued: “Rory wants the Irish Open and other international events to be promoted and smaller fields and larger purses. There’s a lot we don’t like about Rory and his deal. But the main thing is Cantlay and we’ve got to get a deal done with the PIF. LIV’s got to go away. If we don’t get a deal done, we’re all screwed in the end. We all know it. (Cantlay) is against it. Rory is for it. So let’s get a deal done and get these (guys) put to bed.

"Do any of us want to work with the Saudis? No. But, on the other hand, none of us want to fight against them and their money for the rest of our careers, either. Cantlay is blocking any type of deal they try to put together.”

However McIlroy has confirmed he won't be joining. He sensed that some existing members would be uncomfortable with his presence and he wasn't happy with the way things went.

He said: “It just got pretty complicated and pretty messy. With the way it happened it opened up some wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. And I think there was a subset of people on the board who were uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason.”

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