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McIlroy advocates for 'peace talks' between PGA, LIV

Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy - The Canadian Press
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Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy says it's time for the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to clear the air.

Asked about the possibility of "peace talks" between the rival tours, McIlroy gave his blessing.

"That needs to happen," McIlroy told BBC Northern Ireland"It's unfortunate. It's messy. I wish it hadn't got that messy."

The emergence of LIV last month has seen the defection of a number of top names from the PGA Tour, including Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka. Those who have left have been suspended by the PGA with some golfers resigning from the tour outright.

While McIlroy maintains that the suspensions are the right move, he believes that further discussion is required.

"At the end of the day it will sort itself out," he said. "Everyone has to pivot and change and try to be better and hopefully get to that stage but as you said now it's messy and all the narrative isn't good; it's splitting the game instead of everyone coming together. I think everyone needs to come together a little bit more."

The 33-year-old McIlroy says that he appreciates the transformative amount of money that Saudi Arabia is investing in golf, he just wishes it could have been done through existing channels.

"I understand people's reservations with things but at the same time, if these people are serious about investing billions of dollars into golf, I think ultimately that's a good thing but it has to be done the right way," McIlroy said. "I think if they were to invest, having it be invested inside the existing structures. That's the thing I've tried to advocate for over the last few months."

The winner of the 2014 edition at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, McIlroy is set to compete in The Open next weekend at the Old Course at St. Andrews.