Ryder Cup villain ‘calling the shots’ in PGA Tour after Rory McIlroy resignation

After Jon Rahm’s dramatic move to LIV Golf, the inner circle of the PGA Tour setup has emerged, with one Ryder Cup villain seemingly having a big say.

The power dynamics within the PGA Tour lineup have become evident since Jon Rahm defected to the LIV Golf circuit, with Ryder Cup antagonist Patrick Cantlay holding significant sway.

The 2023 Masters victor’s blockbuster £450m switch to the rebel circuit in Saudi Arabia has sent shockwaves through the game, with his signing representing a major coup. The two-time major champion’s deal means he will join the growing list of big names including Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka in joining the breakaway tour.

The news also has symbolic significance, not least due to the ongoing negotiations over a binding deal for a proposed merger between the owners of LIV, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. With the deadline for a framework agreement coming up on Dec. 31, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be struck.

As things stand, it appears that Cantlay is now exerting his influence in his role on the American tour’s policy board, with Dan Rapaport of Barstool Sports having intimated that he is ‘calling the shots for the PGA Tour’ in a post on Twitter/X. Latest LIV rebel Rahm also hinted at the influence that Cantlay, McIlroy and Tiger Woods are having on the direction of travel of the sport in recent times.

Speaking on Fox News, the reigning Masters champion said: “The names that come to mind are Patrick Cantlay, Rory (McIlroy) and Tiger Woods, They’ve spent a lot of times in meetings and phone calls learning about what the future of the game may look like, and I want to say thank you.

“I truly hope their resolve is what they want. This wasn’t anything personal with them, it was the choice for me and my family and the better of our future. I hope all the friends that I made still stay my friends, because I’m certainly not going to change and who I am doesn’t really change.”

Rory McIlroy resigned from his role as a player-director on the PGA Tour policy board in November, citing the pressure of ‘professional and personal commitments’ as his reasons for leaving the post. The Northern Irishman has also been on the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council since 2019.

Cantlay previously was allegedly at the centre of a purported ‘split’ within the American setup at the Ryder Cup this year over claims that he was dissatisfied at playing for free at Marco Simone, according to Sky Sports. After suggestions that he had refused to wear a Team USA cap during the contest in protest, he issued a denial.

Speaking amid the furore on day two in Rome, he said: “This is the first I heard of it right when I got off the green,” before clarifying that the claims that he was staging a silent protest at Marco Simone had been misplaced, adding: “That’s the furthest thing from the truth.”

Clearly purturbed by the allegations that he was unhappy about the lack of pay in line with appearing at the Ryder Cup, he responded by saying: “It’s not about that. It’s just about Team USA and representing our country…That’s all I’ve got to say about that. I’m not here to talk about that. This is all about Team USA.”