Rory McIlroy clarifies his role in PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger amid controversial meeting timing

Rory McIlroy has made it clear that he was not part of the discussions between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, especially after a meeting on September 11 , which upset families of the 2001 New York City terror attack victims.

McIlroy , who has shown his irritation with both the PGA and LIV in recent times, stated after stepping down from the PGA Tour board that he's barely involved in any merger talks.

"I don't know much about the talks that are going on. I know that there is but that's not something that I'm a part of," McIlroy expressed during a press event at the Irish Open. "Yeah, I mean, I think we are all in the game of golf trying to look for a solution to all this and try to move forward. So we'll see, yeah. I know as much as you do at this point, and I'm sure news will start to trickle out here in the next few days."

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Despite claiming to be mostly out of the loop, McIlroy has consented to participating in a televised PGA vs LIV event , teaming up with Scottie Scheffler against Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in December, an event seen as a step towards reconciling the two factions.

PGA Tour officials and representatives from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) met in New York on Tuesday, sparking widespread criticism over the timing. Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, slammed both parties as "completely tone deaf" for holding talks on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

He expressed his outrage, stating: "At one point in time, the PGA Tour were brothers in arms with us. They were standing lockstep, fighting the battle about Saudi Arabia doing 9/11. About all these other atrocities, women's rights, human rights. All these different issues that Saudi Arabia is infamous for, the PGA was standing side-by-side with us. And then all it took was a couple billion dollars and they caved like a cheap suit."

"Of all days, they pick this day. The day we mourn the death of 3,000 Americans, to be blocks away. As we speak right now, they're likely locked in arms smoking cigars while our family members burned alive 10 blocks away."

"What happened to (PGA Tour commissioner Jay) Monahan? He said he was going to meet with us, he said he owed us an apology. We haven't heard words from him. He sent Jimmy Dunne in front of a senate committee panel and made him take arrows. Monahan just stepped away... So you know what, the PGA, shame on you - you should be advocating that we have closure first, and then let's talk about your golf deal next."

McIlroy seems to have distanced himself from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf in their ongoing discussions. Initially, he was one of LIV Golf's harshest critics, wanting no part in the breakaway league.

However, he later agreed to join a committee with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan to facilitate the merger. He has since stepped down from that committee.