Golf betting: Should you back Rory McIlroy amid PGA policy board drama?

To recap: McIlroy resigned from his position as a player director on the PGA Tour policy board late last year "citing personal and professional commitments," according to the PGA Tour's website. It has been largely reported that his continued stance against LIV Golf didn't coincide with what other player directors like Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods wanted to accomplish to move the Tour forward. 

McIlroy's move away from the off-the-links buzz seemed to be good for all parties involved. So naturally, when there was talk that McIlroy could rejoin the board when Webb Simpson resigns, there was pushback.

"I think it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before," McIlroy said, via The Athletic. 

The wounds he was referring to regard the friction between him and other board members. However, it could also refer to how it impacted his game and his chances of winning events.

After publicly vowing to back out of the glaring spotlight of the PGA-LIV feud last year, McIlroy finished T9 or better in every event leading up to the end of the season and propelled himself to No. 1 in the official world golf ranking. He was the second-favorite in the betting odds just behind Scottie Scheffler for the Tour Championship last year before besting him with a T4 finish. 

Clearly, stepping away from the extracurriculars did McIlroy some good — and gave bettors the confidence to wager on him again.

So is McIlroy still a safe bet after this news of him not rejoining the PGA Tour policy board?

While some fans think his input is vital, his personal game is better when he can focus solely on playing. And after the rocky start to his season, he should get a chance to steady the ship.

If betting McIlroy to win outright at 7-1 odds still feels too risky, backing him to finish in the top 5 at +170 (roughly 7/4 odds) or even in the top 10 at a very favorable -125 could produce a return.