In June 2023, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV agreed to merge and the road to a unified sport appeared on the horizon.

But negotiations between the tours, which included an intervention from US President Donald Trump, remain ongoing two-and-a-half years later.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, 36, made a plea to Europe’s biggest stars to “step up” and support the DP World Tour earlier this month.

“As someone who supports the traditional structure of men’s professional golf, we have to realise we were trying to deal with people that were acting, in some ways, irrationally, just in terms of the capital they were allocating and the money they were spending,” McIlroy added.

“It’s been four or five years and there hasn’t been a return yet but they’re going to have to keep spending that money to even just maintain what they have right now.

“A lot of these guys’ contracts are up. They’re going to ask for the same number or an even bigger number. LIV have spent five or six billion US dollars and they’re going to have to spend another five or six just to maintain where they are.

“I’m way more comfortable being on the PGA Tour side than on their side but who knows what’ll happen.”

Bryson DeChambeau became the most significant name to move from the PGA Tour to LIV in 2022.

The American, who is under contract until 2026, admits the two parties still remain too far apart.

“I wish something major would happen but I don’t think it’s going to in the immediate future,” DeChambeau told Fox News Digital.

“I think there are too many wants on both sides and not enough gives on the other.

“We’re just too far apart on a lot of things. It’s going to take some time, but ultimately, I do think the game of golf will grow internationally.”