Rory McIlroy can’t hide delight over latest PGA Tour and LIV Golf decision

Rory McIlroy will partner Scottie Scheffler in ‘The Showdown’ next week, a matchplay event pitting PGA Tour players against LIV Golf stars, and the Northern Irishman is excited to see the two tours come together

Rory McIlroy is set to bridge the gap between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf at ‘The Showdown’ in Las Vegas.

Partnering with PGA Tour comrade Scottie Scheffler, they are poised to battle LIV standouts Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in a matchplay event at Shadow Creek Golf Club, featuring three distinct formats within the 18 holes.

This rare event will see top players from both factions of golf’s divide share the green. The four-time major winner McIlroy views this showdown as a positive step towards harmonizing men’s professional golf.

We’re trying to bring these players together, and the most opportunities we can get to do that, the better,” McIlroy declared. “Does it remind people we’re not playing together all the time? Yes,. But at least we’re making the effort to try to bring the best together more often.”

He added optimistically, “If we can start by doing something like this, that’s only a good thing.” Currently, McIlroy and Scheffler only collide with LIV members at majors, since LIV golfers are barred from the PGA Tour.

Next week’s matchplay event is set to give fans a thrill as they witness the golf stars in action once more, with Rory McIlroy expressing his hope for heightened excitement. “With the way the whole golf landscape works, I’m still unsure of when we’ll get together a little more often,” said McIlroy.

He shared his vision of uniting the best from both tours in a match that could rally fan support: “The idea is to bring the best of both tours together in a match that people could get behind and get excited about it.”