2026 U.S. Open Preview & Rory McIlroy's Press Conference
Rory McIlroy talks PGA Tour updates, impacts on events like the Canadian Open, and key challenges. Craig and Joe preview this year's U.S. Open at Shinnecock.
Video Transcript
Us Open will tee off tomorrow morning.
Welcome back to Prediction Market's Edge.
I'm Craig Michel'ow with Joe Raneri here on the Early Line, and certainly we'll dive into the live leaderboard tomorrow.
But on yesterday's press media tour, Rory McIlroy gave a lot of comments regarding a couple of different topics which we wanna discuss here.
The first is this new idea of what you would call a minor league PGA tour.
Right now, it's called the Korn Ferry Tour that features golfers that are fighting to earn or retain their pray- their playing privileges on the track one circuit.
So apparently, they're trying to propose a second circuit here, it's called track two, that has lower tier PGA tour events that would start in 2028.
But Rory's a big fan of the one that currently exists and isn't a huge fan of changing it.
Here are some of those comments from Rory yesterday at Shinnecock Hills.
Like, a- an event I, I guess, like, just recency.
I- an event like last week, the Canadian Open, potentially go into one of these track twos.
and, like, track two's a glorified Korn Ferry event.
Like, that's, that's what track two's gonna be.
So I don't think the Canadian Open should be one of those.
and yeah, I just think there's gonna be certain events that, you know, might lose their stature if a sponsor doesn't pony up $30 million.
so that's, that's the tough thing.
but I Look, I'm not in those rooms.
I don't know.
I'm, you know I, I play my schedule, and I'll continue to play my schedule, which is getting less and less as the years go on.
So, but yeah, I It's a It's funny.
Like, I think as, as they've done all this work, you start to realize that, like, the way the tour was before LIV came along was actually pretty good.
You know?
It was a, it was You know, it was a pretty good structure, and everything sort of worked pretty well.
LIV created this false economy where we had to up prize funds and had to cut fields and try to support the top players and all that stuff, which I think needed to happen because that was the only way to retain talent at the time.
But now that LIV looks like it's less of a threat, you know, I think that, as I said, the, the old ways of the PGA tour, weren't actually that bad.
Joe, real quick, I wanna get your comment on that before we move to this week.
Yeah, I think Rory said something that was really important, which sort of tells me the whole synopsis behind this, is that LIV Golf was indeed a failure.
It is not going to succeed outside of the money that these guys got paid.
Rory seemingly wants to go back to the way that things were traditionally, and it's not a bad take.
Because certainly, what LIV tried didn't work.
Why would the PGA tour deviate from anything except for just simply getting these guys back from LIV Golf, making them pay their penalty fees, and moving forward?
Because the PGA tour has nobody to blame but themselves.
LIV was a creation out of the ridiculous greed of the PGA tour, who would not up purses, would not give guys an opportunity to make more money.
That is why LIV e- existed to begin with, is because the PGA wouldn't change anything.
They Guys were making the same amount of money.
I mean, look at Tiger's career winnings versus what, Scottie Scheffler is now making.
I mean, Tiger p- played arguably the best golfer in the world, is just about on even footing for career earnings with a guy that is, what, 28 years old, who's only been winning tournaments number one for the last three years.
That's the difference.
LIV was created because the PGA wasn't that great.
Interesting that it's coming from Rory, who's already made $190 million on tour, and now he's worried about some of the classic, tournaments going away because the sponsors might not be able to afford it.
And PGA Tour had an opportunity to rectify all of this, but they didn't, and that is why LIV came about.
Well said.
Now let's get a preview of the upcoming match this week.
Masters champ Rory McIlroy discussing Shinnecock Hills as the premier test on the PGA tour.
yeah.
It's, great golf course.
I think it's If, if, you know, everything going the way, everyone wants it in terms of weather, you know, set up, you know, I probably I think it's the best championship test in the country.
I think it, it tests all aspects of the game.
driving, iron play, you need to have your wits about you around the greens.
it's a lot of strategy, thoughtfulness.
and yeah, look, it's, you know, it's a, it's a golf course where it can turn very quickly.
you know, you get a day like yesterday with a lot of wind and, and dry, clear conditions like this, and, you know, I think that's You know, we're just gonna have to be mindful of that as the week goes on.
but it's a, it's a wonderful golf course, and I'm looking forward to the, the test that it's gonna provide this week.
Meanwhile, it's 100 consecutive major appearances for Adam Scott, who will participate this week at the US Open.
He weighed in on this incredible accomplishment.
Y- yeah, it's, it's an interesting one, as I've, thought about it over the last couple weeks, obviously this week getting closer.
I f- I found it difficult at first reflecting on, something while I'm still playing, I think.
I've never really been one to dwell on milestones.
I think it's something I'd probably do at the end of my career.
However, it's resonated a little bit more with me the last few days, and, from people close to me, to s- my sponsors and partners.
You know, I'm, I'm so appreciative of everyone recognizing this.
It's a strange one, 'cause it's not something you really set out to do or aim for.
But in all honesty, since Pinehurst a couple years ago, it kind of was on my radar.
And, earlier this year, as I wasn't automatically qualified for this event, it, became a bit of a weight on my shoulders making sure I got here.
So it's been fun.
I g- had a photograph with Jack Nicklaus a couple weeks ago at his memorial tournament, and he's the other guy who made it to 100 in a row.
he in fact made it way past that, and I can't even think about playing another 11 or 12 years straight of these.
But, I'm really excited for this week.
Let's take a look at the prediction markets right now, where it stands.
Scottie Scheffler 14%, Rory 6.7%, Jon Rahm just a tick over 5, Xander 4.6, Fleetwood 4, Fitzpatrick 4, and then everyone else you're taking a long shot on that.
Joe and I will discuss more of the PGA tour and the US Open on tomorrow's show.
We'll take a break and come back and wrap things up for this edition of the show.
