Rory McIlroy RESIGNS from the PGA Tour's policy board as the world No 2 gives up his role just hours after fuming: 'It's not what I signed up for'

Rory McIlroy has resigned from his influential position on the PGA Tour’s policy board just hours after citing his frustrations with the role.

In a move that will only add to the uncertainty around golf’s fragile peace talks, the four-time major winner made the shock decision to walk away from the table at a critical juncture for his sport.

The development was revealed in a memo sent to players by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan on Tuesday night, citing McIlroy’s ‘professional and personal commitments’.

McIlroy declined to comment on Wednesday after his final practice round at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, but the timing of his exit is intriguing. 

The 34-year-old and Tiger Woods were the two most influential voices on a six-strong player panel that has powers of veto over any deal reached between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian backers of the LIV circuit.

Those discussions have already been fraught with complications and the chances of June’s ‘framework agreement’ being ratified by the soft December 31 deadline appear remote. 

McIlroy indicated on Tuesday that progress was being made towards a unified golf landscape, but more tellingly showed his exasperation at the burdens of fronting the PGA Tour’s response to LIV across the past two years.

In answer to a question from Mail Sport about those commitments, McIlroy had said on Tuesday: ‘(It’s) not what I signed for whenever I went on the board.’

Doubtless his decision to put more focus on his game will be seen as sensible as he enters a 10th year without a major victory. One notable meeting he attended in March ran to seven hours in the week of a tournament and it has tended to puzzle McIlroy’s rivals that he was so heavily invested in golf’s messy politics while competing at the top end of the sport.

Masters champion Jon Rahm said on Wednesday: ‘I've been asked a couple times if I have any interest (in joining the policy board), and I'm not going to spend six, seven hours in meetings. 

'I'm not here for that. I think it could hinder a little bit and there's a reason probably why I can't recall any great player being a full-time board member and winning majors at the same time, at least in recent history.’

McIlroy, who has been the staunchest anti-LIV voice in a frenzied debate, described himself as a ‘sacrificial lamb’ in June after the PGA Tour’s shock announcement that they were negotiating a merger with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

That manoeuvre was interpreted as a betrayal, but McIlroy has since supported the end of hostilities and has recently stated his belief a deal with the Saudis would be preferable to other options being explored by the PGA Tour with US-based backers, including Fenway, the owners of Liverpool FC. 

Interestingly, Woods is believed to strongly favour US investment over a collaboration with the Saudis – a scenario which could potentially spark a new wave of player poaching by LIV if the current talks go on to fail.

In his memo announcing McIlroy’s resignation, Monahan wrote: ‘Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory has invested in the Tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.’