Rory McIlroy has explained the decision to resign from his position as a player director on the PGA Tour’s influential policy board.
The world No.2 announced the surprise move on Tuesday, despite being expected to serve in the position until 2024.
McIlroy, 34, has been one of the strongest supporters of the PGA Tour during its battles with the breakaway LIV Golf Tour, but admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” after the two parties announced they would merge in June.
He’s now moved away from the policy board, a decision he had been weighing up for a while.
“Something had to give. There’s only so many hours in the day and so many days in the week and I’ve got a lot going on in my life right now,” McIlroy told BBC Sport.
“Between trying to be a world-class golfer and trying to be a good husband and a good father, I’ve got a growing investment portfolio that’s taking up more of my time.
“I’m involved with TGL (the Tech-infused Golf League with Tiger Woods) and so I’ve got a lot going on. With the policy board stuff, it has taken more of my time than ever this year.”
The Northern Irishman conceded the change in direction from the PGA Tour influenced his decision.
“Obviously, the landscape changed on June 6th with that announcement and I felt like from then on I was playing a lesser part because of the decisions that were made,” McIlroy said.
A desire to be more focused on golf played a part too.
“I’m thinking as we go into the next year, as I try to get ramped up for Augusta and all those tournaments, I just can’t see me putting the time and the energy into it,” McIlroy said.
“It’s a big decision and if I feel like I’m not prepared going into those meetings then it is better off if someone else takes my place, who is able to put the time and the energy into it.”