Yasir Al-Rumayyan to Upset the PGA Tour? Rory McIlroy’s Bold Observation Throws PIF Merger’s Future Into Disarray

In June 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a probe into the then-newly announced PGA Tour and PIF merger. The Wall Street Journal reported that the DOJ had concerns regarding the antitrust law of the United States being broken by the merger. It has been a year since the seismic announcement that left the golf world speechless and yet the merger between the two entities has not progressed.

However, the PIF and PGA Tour finally ended their cold war and will be meeting to further discuss the negotiations between the two organizations. The two firms will be meeting on June 7th to take a step in the right direction. But things might not be as easy for Saudi Arabia’s PIF as Rory McIlroy expressed concerns over PIF’s role in the future PGA Tour and PIF merger.

Rory McIlroy is unsure if PIF would be an active investor

Recently, DP World Tour’s CEO, Guy Kinnings, stated that the PGA Tour and PIF merger might get finalized by 2026. Similarly, Rory McIlroy in an interview with Garret Johnson for the Beyond the Clubhouse podcast, revealed that 2026 was a “pretty good timeline” for the PGA Tour-PIF merger to come forth.

However, after his first round of the Memorial Tournament, McIlroy shared that PIF’s role in the merger remains uncertain. The 4-time major champion cited the Department of Justice’s antitrust probe as one of the reasons. McIlroy said, via SI, “I think depending on what the DOJ (the U.S. Department of Justice) allows, it might have to be a very passive investment” from Saudi Arabia’s PIF.