McIlroy will work with key players in LIV discussions

Rory McIlroy's playing partners at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland this week include the two men who are key in negotiations aimed at ending the top men's divide in professional golf.

McIlroy, who competes with father Gerry in the Pro-Am event, will play at Kingsbarns on Friday alongside PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who is working with Billy Horschel this week.

World number three McIlroy will then face Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan and South African LIV golfer Dean Burmester in St Andrews on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund supports the 48-member LIV Golf League, which has signed many of the world's best players over the past three years, including Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson.

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan will be in the same four-ball alongside their seniors on the first Thursday when they tee off at Carnoustie.

On Thursday the McIlroys will play alongside Dunhill boss Johann Rupert, who spoke of the “need to bring peace in this sport” and invited Al-Rumayyan to take part in this week's event.

The PGA Tour commissioner and the PIF boss were the architects of the high-profile framework agreement in June 2023 that ended the legal dispute between the parties and aimed at healing the rift in the sport.

Since both tours continue to take place in different orbits, the subsequent negotiations are not yet complete.

In the early days of LIV Golf, McIlroy was vocal in his criticism of the rival tour, but his stance has changed to now favor an agreement to heal the divide in men's golf.

Ahead of the Irish Open last month, McIlroy said he was optimistic an agreement would be reached.

“I think everyone in the game would love it if there was one [a resolution]”McIlroy told BBC Sport NI.

“I am hopeful and hopeful that we will hear good news in the foreseeable future that things will get back to normal.”