What happens when an Aussie, an Ulsterman, and an American walk into a press room? They all say the same thing. Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, and Brian Harman are those three gents this week, all in the field at the Dubai Desert Classic, and all sat in front of the mic Wednesday afternoon. And, okay, they didn’t say exactly the same thing. But as different as they may be—McIlroy an emotional leader and European golf legend, Scott a calm, patient thinker, and Harman, understated and underrated prior to his Open win last summer—they’re all dealing with the same thing: the tedious nature of pro golf’s fractured agenda.
Pro golfers still have it quite good, of course. But this part of the job is probably more onerous than it used to be as we enter the third year of facing more questions about golf’s politics than queries about their own game.
Moving on from the PGA Tour’s Policy Board
McIlroy, who flew the flag for the PGA Tour the last two years, resigned from the Tour’s policy board last fall. The meetings take loads of time, he’s prepping for a move to England, and he wanted to earn back some free time to work on his craft. Plus, it’s been a long few years for the 34-year-old. His opinions haven’t been shuttered, but there’s only so much more he feels he can say. After admitting that the biggest barrier moving forward is aligning interests within the game, particularly among players, fans, and media, we asked if he spends any time campaigning to his colleagues these days.
“We’re done with that,” McIlroy said. We have certainly tried.
Prioritizing Stoicism over Emotion
Unlike McIlroy, Scott has just begun his policy board term. For the next three years, he’ll sit in meetings that determine how the sport is governed at its highest level. He sat in a number of those meetings in 2023, out of pure interest, just to watch and learn before his term officially began. He has a lot of useful insights, his fellow pros say. He shares them when the moment feels right. But publicly, his shared opinions are more down the center, prioritizing stoicism over emotion, rarely tipping his hand.
Scott was asked 10 questions during his time with the press Wednesday afternoon; all 10 were about his new role on the board and the future of the sport. After practice we asked him about that gauntlet of weighty questions that never dared to veer off-topic.
“Yeah, we do play golf,” he said with a smile.
Enjoying the Journey
As for Harman? He’s happy as hell to be here in Dubai for the first time. And why wouldn’t he be? The jetlag from a commute from Hawaii hasn’t crushed him yet. (It will, in due time.) He says it’s pretty cool that the sport can bring you to places you wouldn’t otherwise visit. He seems plenty content going about our business, working on the farm in the offseason, attending Georgia football games, and making as many birdies as possible inside the ropes. But when asked about LIV Golf and if the game would have reached this point without it, Harman didn’t have much to say.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “We don’t have any perspective because LIV is here, and we are here, so we don’t know. We’d have to think about that.”
There you have it. McIlroy: a bit exasperated. Scott: a bit reserved. Harman: still getting our bearings. None of us ultimately too declarative. As the sport trickles forward towards some unknown resolution, slow progress and uncertainty are going to wear its stars down, the biggest of whom are asked to speak in these gatherings before almost every event they play in. The locations change, but right now the questions remain the same. It’s hard to imagine anyone enjoys it at this point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tournament are McIlroy, Scott, and Harman participating in this week?
They are all participating in the Dubai Desert Classic.
What is Rory McIlroy’s role in the PGA Tour’s policy board?
McIlroy resigned from the Tour’s policy board last fall.
What kind of insights does Adam Scott bring to the policy board?
Adam Scott has a lot of useful insights that he shares when the moment feels right.
Where is Brian Harman from?
Brian Harman is from the United States.
Has Rory McIlroy campaigned to his colleagues regarding aligning interests within the game?
No, Rory McIlroy stated that he is done with campaigning to his colleagues.
Does Brian Harman have any perspective on the impact of LIV Golf on the game?
Brian Harman stated that he doesn’t have any perspective on the impact of LIV Golf.
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