It's no secret that Rory McIlroy has been the biggest defender of the PGA Tour ever since the inception of LIV Golf in 2022.
The Northern Irishman has fallen out with many of those who have defected to the PIF-backed breakaway series, and had until very recently been steadfast in his support of the PGA Tour.
In recent comments, however, McIlroy admitted that his tour was not without its faults. The four-time Major winner admitted that PGA Tour bigwigs did not do enough to ensure to their sponsors that the biggest players would be present at the biggest events - something he conceded LIV had nailed early on.
Ahead of his return to action at this weekend's Dubai Invitational, McIlroy suggested a major change to golf's scheduling which would see it more closely resemble the Formula 1 calendar and would guarantee major-level hype for events around the world.
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Rory McIlroy proposes major change to golf calendar
Quoted in GolfDigest this week, Rory McIlroy suggested that a new world tour schedule should take inspiration from one of global sport's true "world" championships - Formula 1.
1 October 2023; Rory McIlroy of Europe celebrates a putt on the third green during the singles matches on the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
McIlroy said that a new calendar should be "something that resembles Formula 1," and that national opens such as those in Australia, South Africa and Japan should enjoy elevated status close to that of the four Majors:
Whether they are rotated on the new global circuit, or we go with the same ones every year, I’m OK with either.
The Australian Open, for example, should almost be the fifth major. The market down there is huge with potential. They love golf. They love sport. They have been starved of top-level golf. And the courses are so good.
The South African Open is another I’d have in the mix. Then you have places like Singapore and Hong Kong and Japan. What a market Japan represents. That would be another opportunity.
We could end up with something that resembles Formula One, but with a little more of an American presence. Throw in the four majors and you have a brilliant schedule for the top 70-100 guys, whatever the number is.
We’d have, say a 22-event schedule. That would look pretty good to me.
As of 2024, there are 12 "designated events" on the PGA Tour schedule - events which bring more lucrative prizes and more exclusive fields, with the sport's top stars expected to show.
McIlroy seems to suggest that golf should move towards a "world championship" model such as that employed by Formula 1. The 2024 F1 calendar will encompass 24 Grands Prix in 21 countries across five continents, with modern glamour events such as the Las Vegas and Singapore GPs balanced by prestige events such as the Monaco and Monza GPs.
34-year-old McIlroy recently took up a role as an investor in Alpine F1 team and attended last season's US Grand Prix shortly after Europe's dominant Ryder Cup victory.
Rory McIlroy gets his 2024 season underway this weekend in the Dubai Invitational before he will next week look to defend the Desert Classic crown he won for a third time in January 2023.
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