Rory McIlroy sees world tour as 'dream scenario' for golf

Rory McIlroy believes a world tour is the "dream scenario" for golf's future as the PGA Tour and LIV Golf continue to negotiate a path forward.

In an interview with Golf Digest in Dubai, the world number two spoke of his hope for a global approach which taps into markets such as Australia, South Africa and Japan.

"Going forward, if everything is on the table, venues have to be a big part of the consideration," he said.

"We need to make sure the courses are worthy of the players who are going to be competing. My dream scenario is a world tour, with the proviso that corporate America has to remain a big part of it all. Saudi Arabia, too. That's just basic economics.

"But there is an untapped commercial opportunity out there," he continued.

"Investors always want to make a return on their money. Revenues at the PGA Tour right now are about $2.3 billion. So how do we get that number up to four or six? To me, it is by looking outward. They need to think internationally and spread their wings a bit. I've been banging that drum for a while."

The PGA Tour is continuing negotiations to finalize an alliance with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV. The deadline was 31 December before it was extended. The PGA Tour revealed a so-called framework agreement to merge interests with the PIF in a surprise announcement on 6 June.

As one of the most successful and prominent figures in professional golf, McIlroy has a new perspective after his previous criticism of the two-year-old LIV Golf, which has the financial resources to successfully recruit many of the PGA Tour's established players, including Phil Mickelson at the start and, most recently, Jon Rahm.

McIlroy has been the face of the PGA Tour during this period but