Rory McIlroy Sums Up The Sad State Of Pro Golf By Saying There Is 'Never Enough' Money To Keep Players Happy

For the better part of two years now, just about every conversation or story involving professional golf has had very little to do with the game itself. Just as they were in the months leading up to LIV Golf's inaugural event in June 2022, money, equity, loyalty, and greed continue to be at the forefront.

This week, the money talk in the golf world centers around players being rewarded for staying loyal to the PGA Tour while many star players elected to make the jump to the Saudi-backed circuit.

After the Tour struck a $3 billion investment deal with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of American billionaires, to form the for-profit entity called PGA Tour Enterprises, it was revealed that players would collectively access over $1.5 billion in equity in the new company.

Up to $750 million of that $1.5 billion appears to be headed into the bank accounts of the Tour's biggest names.

Tiger Woods is reportedly set to profit the most and receive $100 million in equity shares, with Rory McIlroy finishing runner-up, so to speak, getting $50 million.

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Shortly after initial reports laid out the massive paydays some PGA Tour players receive, McIlroy was asked if there is a specific number that he thinks would make players feel validated for remaining loyal to the Tour. 

"I think the one thing we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is there’s never enough," McIlroy said.

It may only be a one-sentence response - and one where McIlroy clearly isn't referring to himself - but when you're two-plus years into this conversation that feels never ending, there isn't anything else to be said.

Golf Is All About The Money, Unfortunately

McIlroy's statement accurately portrays the state of professional golf through two different lenses.

The PGA Tour can continue to increase tournament purses, introduce more signature events, and hand out equity shares to its top talent, but it will never even come close to being able to compete with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) and its backing of LIV Golf. 

The Saudi's ability to increase offers to certain players has no limit, while the PGA Tour can only do so much to keep its stars and their bank accounts healthy.

If we take an even broader look at professional golf today, PGA Tour players receiving millions for their loyalty only continues the theme of very rich professional athletes getting even richer. Just as the Saudi's limit on funds does not exist, there isn't a limit on handouts players are willing to receive, either.

One of the unique realities in all of this is that all the money being pumped into professional golf is doing nothing but turning off fans as TV ratings have taken a drastic hit. The multi-year battle between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour is playing a role in fans tuning out, but the constant conversations about money and privileged athletes getting richer is undoubtedly playing a role as well.

Sports fans, and even more so golf fans, aren't intrigued in the slightest about how much money players make. All they want is stories, and ones that actually have something to do with the sport itself.