Rory McIlroy reveals the reason why he resigned from the PGA Tour’s policy board and quit the frontline of golf’s non-stop political battles 

• Rory McIlroy has revealed the reason he resigned from PGA Tour policy board 
• The world No 2 said he did not have the energy required to do the role justice 

Rory McIlroy says his shock decision to withdraw from the frontline of golf’s political battles was shaped by a desire to be at full strength for The Masters next year.

The world No 2 missed the cut at Augusta in April and has frequently referenced the difficulties of juggling his golf with the burdens of co-ordinating the PGA Tour’s response to the threat posed by the LIV circuit.

His resignation from the PGA Tour’s policy board on Tuesday came as a curveball and gave rise to driving range speculation that McIlroy might be unhappy with the direction of travel in the current merger negotiations.

He dismissed that suggestion at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Thursday. Speaking after an opening-round 71 left him four off the lead, McIlroy said: ‘There are only so many hours in a day and only so many days in a week. 

‘With the policy board stuff, it’s taking more of my time than ever this year and I just felt something had to give. That was the one.

Rory McIlroy has revealed he stepped down from the PGA Tour policy board to focus on The Masters next year

‘I just feel like there’s people who are in there who are able to spend more time on it and put more energy into it than I am right now. It’s better off if someone is able to take that spot of mine and is able to give the board the energy and time it deserves.

‘I’m thinking as we go into next year I want to get ramped up for Augusta and all those tournaments you know. If I feel like I’m prepared going into those (board) meetings, then it’s better off if someone else takes my place.’

In his first round since the Ryder Cup, McIlroy’s one-under loop at the Earth Course featured a charge to three under through 10 holes, before he rode his luck coming in. 

That included landing one errant drive on the lap of a female spectator in bogeying the 13th and a hooked approach on 18, where he hit a rock in the creek before his ball bounced back up on to a bridge.

Nicolai Hojgaard, Matthieu Pavon and Julien Guerrier share the lead on five under.

McIlroy cited his frustrations with the role after answering a question from Mail Sport in Dubai

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