In the media’s defence, it’s hard to fully understand the fine print of a deal that’s not yet a deal; of a merger that has been described as “framework” of a deal; of a framework deal that still needs the approval of the five player directors on the PGA Tour policy — players who found out about the deal Tuesday morning at the same time as the rest of us.
Needless to say, there is much to still be worked out with the future of men’s professional golf. While all that gets decided in backrooms by princes, kingmakers, and billion-dollar companies, one thing remains the same: Rory McIlroy is out in front taking both bullets and praise as the face of the game.
“It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb and feeling like I’ve put myself out there and this is what happens,” McIlroy said.Article content At the moment, the man they call Rors is golf’s Rorschach test. Depending where you stand, he’s either the game’s moral compass, a corporate shill, wonderfully authentic, ridiculously naive, a truth-teller or a sanctimonious preacher. All of that while also trying to be the world’s best golfer.
“Yesterday was tough. I think the shock of it, the surprise of it. I wasn’t looking forward to this, to be honest with you,” McIlroy said of the press conference. “But once we all get done here and you write your stories and say what you say what I say or quote me or whatever it is, I’m going to go to the range and do some practice and try to get ready for a golf tournament.”