Rory McIlroy has previously expressed his admiration for Elon Musk, calling him “the smartest guy in the world”. This comes as there is a growing clamour for Donald Trump to enlist the help of the Tesla CEO in brokering a peace deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The dispute between the two golfing bodies, often referred to as a”golf war”, has shown little sign of abating since LIV Golf’s Saudi-backed inception in 2022. However, the June 2023 announcement of a framework agreement for a potential merger has offered a glimmer of hope.
Despite no formal agreement being reached, negotiations involving President Trump have continued. In light of the challenges in reaching a resolution, Trump has been urged to utilise Musk’s expertise in securing a peace deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Notably, McIlroy has already endorsed the idea of the billionaire entrepreneur’s involvement.
When questioned about Trump’s assertion in November that he could resolve the conflict within “the better part of 15 minutes”, McIlroy replied: “He might be able to. He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too.
“Yeah, I think from the outside looking in, it’s probably a little less complicated than it actually is. But obviously Trump has a great relationship with Saudi Arabia, he’s got a great relationship with golf, he’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows?”
Musk, drafted by Trump to spearhead government cost-cutting measures and now serving as Senior Advisor to the POTUS, was tipped his cap by LIV Golf icon Phil Mickelson for propelling America towards “fiscal responsibility”.
Musk boasted on Fox Business about slashing more than “$4 billion per day” from national expenditure via DOGE’s extensive financial reforms, prompting Mickelson to express gratitude on social media for the billionaire’s services since January.
Via X, the golfer penned: “It’s incredibly kind and generous of Elon Musk to help America become fiscally responsible. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Nikola Tesla was unappreciated while he was alive despite his numerous contributions to humanity. I hope Elon is shown the appreciation he deserves in his lifetime.”
With Mickelson linking Musk to the legendary inventor and eponym of Tesla Motors, the golf star’s remarks intrigued many. Gracious for the accolade, Musk replied with a succinct “Thank you”.
This article first appeared on the Irish Star.