McIlroy predicts PGA Tour run World Tour (and wants to be a horse)
Galileo
Rory McIlroy touches on everything under the sun in an entertaining two-hour podcast sitdown with US golf blog No Laying Up.
Not only does he hint heavily (and we hear rumblings of things to come we will reveal soon) that a PGA Tour run World Tour (with a buyout of the European Tour) is inevitable, he also touches on his hair, his fashion sense, betting, getting a new caddie for next season and lots more.
There's even his admission that if he could be someone else for a day he'd plump for the life of former Epsom Derby winner Galileo, currently making millions for John Magnier and Co at Coolmore Stud.
NLU: A lot of people out there want to trade places with you. Is there one person out there you'd like to trade lives with?
RMcI: Wow, no. I don't think so. A couple of years ago I went to Coolmore Stud. They breed some of the best racehorses in the world. And their biggest stallion is a horse called Galileo. I wouldn't mind trading places with him for a week! (Laughs). He has a pretty good life, I tell you. He is loving it. That's the one specimen that came to mind. He covers, I don't know how many mares a day. Literally people will pay 500 grand a go to have a horse by Galileo. It's unbelievable the money they make out it.
As for the World Tour, the deep pockets of the PGA Tour and a possible takeover of the European Tour, (go to 1:01:38 in Part II) he said:
It's such a global game now. Even the PGA Tour expanding, going to Asia, going to these places... It's a world tour. It is happening one day I think.
I think it has to happen. As time goes on, just to have all these tours working agains each other and having to change dates, it's counter-productive. I think everyone has to come together and say this is what we need to do.
I don't know what the solution is. The easy thing would be for the PGA Tour to go and buy the European Tour and say, we'll take it from there. You still run the European events and we have a model that is 12 events a year, exlcuding the majors, that are the biggest events.
Like say tenis the ATP 1000 they call them. And then you have the 500 series events and the 250s and sort of rank them like that In any given week, whether it is the golf circuit or the tennis tour, there are three or four tournaments going on at the same time.
I just don't see any other way.
NLU: It would be so cool to see a ton of Americans come over and play the Irish Open.
RMcI: I'd love that. I just think that's the way it is going to happen. I don't see any other way. I wouldn't take the stance of Greg Norman all those years ago, trying to start it himself. I am only a pawn in the whole game. I am a player and I will play anywhere. And I want to win golf tournaments. But I know there have been discussions that have taken place. But maybe early stages. Maybe one day.
