McIlroy fears Spieth may have irked PIF with comments

Rory McIlroy got back into the red at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but there was as much interest in the Monterey Peninsula in his call with Jordan Spieth over the PIF deal as Wyndham Clark’s stunning third-round 60.

The final round was postponed to Monday due to inclement weather and safety concerns with US Open champion Wyndham Clark leading by a shot from Swedish star Ludvig Aberg on 17-under and by two from Matthieu Pavon following his third round 60.

Seamus Power was tied 31st on seven-under after a third-round 68 with McIlroy joint 66th on two-under after a 69.

But the PGA Tour’s recently announced partnership with the Strategic Sports Group continues to generate debate.

The tour will receive $1.5 billion immediately with up to $3 billion available in the future.

It does not preclude the PGA Tour from doing a deal with Saudi Arabia’s PIF, but when Policy Board member Spieth spoke on Wednesday and said that a PIF deal was no longer necessary, in theory, it was clear there are differences of opinion between the top players.

The Co Down man sees reuniting the game as key and getting the PIF back on side is part of that equation.

"I just think it's something that is almost not even worth talking about right this second given how timely everything would be to try to get it figured out," Spieth said on Wednesday. 

"But the idea is that we have a strategic partner that allows the PGA Tour to go forward the way that it's operating right now without anything else with the option of other investors.”

On Friday, Spieth said it’s not that he doesn't want the Tour to accept PIF money or that he isn't interested in working with them but that he wants a deal that makes sense for everyone.

McIlroy confirmed that he had an hour-long conversation with Spieth after McIlroy decided to remove himself from top player group text.

"I just want to remove myself from the fray a little bit," McIlroy told Sports Illustrated. "I talked to him about his comments. And we had a pretty frank discussion."

According to SI.com, both men agree on most points but it’s the PIF issue that has generated debate throughout the membership.

"My thing was if I'm the original (potential) investor that thought that they were going to get this deal done back in July, and I'm hearing a board member say that, you know, we don't really need them, now, how are they going to think about that, what are they gonna feel about that?" McIlroy told Sports Illustrated of his call with Spieth. 

"They are still sitting out there with hundreds of billions of dollars, if not trillions, that they're gonna pour it into sport. 

“And I know what Jordan was saying, I absolutely know what he was saying and what he was trying to say. But if I were PIF and I was hearing that coming from here, the day after doing this SSG deal, it wouldn't have made me too happy, I guess?"

McIlroy thinks it’s important that PIF is part of the new PGA Tour Enterprises.

"Having PIF as your partner as opposed to not having them as your partner, I don't think is an option for the game of golf," McIlroy said. "I think they're committed to investing in golf and in the wider world of sport and if you can get them to invest their money the right way to unify the game of golf."

As for Clark, who was short with a 28-footer for 59 on the final green, the American was thrilled with his round.

“It was honestly surreal,” Clark said. “To have a chance to shoot 59 with that putt ... it was pretty special.”

Due to forecasted inclement weather, play on Sunday will be without spectators; should the tournament extend to Monday, spectators will be allowed back on the golf course

Meanwhile, Joaquin Niemann backed up his opening-round 12-under 59 with a one-under 70 in windy conditions during Saturday’s second round at LIV Golf Mayakoba. 

At 13 under, he’ll take a four-stroke lead over Jon Rahm (67) and Dean Burmester into Sunday’s final round at El Camaleon.

Niemann’s Torque GC leads the team standings by five strokes on 15-under from Rahm’s Legion XIII on 15-under.

Brooks Koepka’s Smash lies a shot further back in third, though Graeme McDowell’s three-over 74 was non-counting.

All team scores count in the final round.