Rory McIlroy won't rejoin PGA Tour board after pushback - ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Rory McIlroy will not return to the PGA Tour's policy board as expected because of other player directors' concerns about bringing him back, McIlroy said Wednesday.

McIlroy, who resigned from the policy board on Nov. 14, was expected to replace Webb Simpson on the PGA Tour policy board and the board of directors of PGA Tour Enterprises.

«There's been a lot of conversations,» McIlroy said ahead of this week's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club. «Sort of reminded me partly why I didn't [stay on the board]. So yeah, I think it got pretty complicated and pretty messy.

»I think with the way it happened, I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. I think there was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason."

Simpson, 38, will finish out his term, which expires in 2025. Simpson said he had planned to step down from both boards to spend time with his family.

«I think the best course of action is if, you know, there's some people on there that aren't comfortable with me coming back on, then I think Webb just stays on and sees out his term,» McIlroy said. «I think he's gotten to a place where he's comfortable with doing that, and I just sort of keep doing what I'm doing.»

Along with Simpson, the other player directors on the tour's policy board are Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods. Former tour member Joe Ogilvie is a board liaison.

McIlroy, the No. 2 golfer in the world, had joined the policy board in 2022 and was expected to serve through 2024. The 35-year-old cited personal and professional commitments in making his decision to leave the board late last