'We'll Know A Lot More By Year's End' - Rory McIlroy Hopes Tour Bosses' Shared Tee Time Can Expedite Pro Golf Peace Deal

Rory McIlroy believes it is a "great sign" that two of the key stakeholders in men's pro golf are playing together at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week and shows progress towards a peace deal is moving ever closer.

While DP World Tour boss Guy Kinnings is not teeing it up in Scotland, he will be on the ground as the European circuit hosts the unique event at St Andrews, Kingsbarns, and Carnoustie.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is in the pro-am field alongside Billy Horschel, as is PIF chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who is competing with LIV golfer Dean Burmester.

McIlroy, plus his father Gerry, and Monahan will play 18 at Kingsbarns on Friday before the Northern Irish pair switch to the Old Course on Saturday for a tee time with LIV Golf's chief backer.

But before all of that, Monahan and Al-Rumayyan will be watched like a hawk by thousands of fans as they make their way around Carnoustie on Thursday along with their respective professional partners.

The event is a far cry from a couple of years ago when it appeared as though neither was willing to even speak to the other regarding ideas for a potential amalgamation in the sport. It also shows the shift in the landscape from 12 months ago, even, when Al-Rumayyan was down to play as Andrew Waterman before his name was changed at the 11th hour.

Speaking to BBC Sport Northern Ireland about the first time both bosses will have been seen in public together since the groundbreaking June 6 framework agreement last year, McIlroy said: "There’s no better place than the home of golf to try and get everyone together and talking.

"I think it’s a great thing and good sign that Jay and Yasir are going to play together. And obviously you’ve got quite a big contingent over from LIV that are playing in this event."

A significant factor behind 14 LIV golfers being included in the starting field of this week's DP World Tour event is down to the Alfred Dunhill Links' main backer, Richemont - which is chaired by South African, Johann Rupert.

The 74-year-old - who has effectively run this tournament for many years - has long been a proponent of the main tours unifying, and he invited several LIV players to join Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in the UK.

McIlroy admitted he felt Rupert's ideas and plans might not have been universally popular initially but it could be exactly what the sport needs in order to reach the end goal as quickly as possible.

He continued: "I think what Johann Rupert, the man who runs this event, is trying to do is just bring the golf world back together a little bit.

"If we need to be forced together in some way, he’s trying to do that. I think it will be good. It’s certainly a step in the right direction."

And while an actual date for some kind of resolution has been tapped about for many months already, the four-time Major winner is optimistic it could be sooner rather than later if this weekend proves fruitful.

McIlroy said: "Maybe it’s going too slow for the people that follow golf. In the business world, deals of this size take time. You are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions.

"I think we’ll know a lot more by year’s end. We’re in October so hopefully [there's] three months to get something done."