Rory McIlroy's LIV playing partner at Alfred Dunhill has earned big bucks from rival tour

LIV Golf playing partner at the Alfred Dunhill Championship has made huge sums from the breakaway tour. The annual pro-am tournament began today (Thursday), with McIlroy playing alongside his father Gerry, South African billionaire Johann Rupert and Louis Oosthuizen.

The latter resigned from the PGA Tour when was launched in 2022, and it has proved to be a lucrative move for the 2010 Open Championship winner. The South African, 41 - one of 14 LIV players taking part in the Alfred Dunhill - has made $21.7million (£16.5million) from 34 events.

That places him 14th on the overall LIV money list which is headed by Talor Gooch, who has made $56.4million (£43million). Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm make up the top five.

McIlroy playing alongside a LIV star may have been awkward in the past given the Northern Irishman's previous criticism of the Saudi-backed tour. The four-time major winner previously said he "hated" it and that he would retire if it was the only golf tour left on earth.

However, McIlroy has since and now believes a merger between LIV, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour can be finalised before the end of the year. Key figures in the negotiations are at the Alfred Dunhill, which McIlroy hopes will help move things forward.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who partnered Billy Horschel in the pro-am event, was in the same group as Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund - which bankrolls LIV - in the first round at Carnoustie. Monahan will then play with McIlroy at Kingsbarns on Friday while McIlroy and Al-Rumayyan will be out together on Saturday at St Andrews.

The PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the PIF signed a framework agreement more than a year ago and complex talks have been taking place ever since. McIlroy said last month he believes scrutiny from the US Department of Justice and a 50-50 split between players on both sides pose the biggest obstacles to a deal being struck, but is hopeful golf's civil is nearing its end.

Speaking at St Andrews on Wednesday, McIlroy told BBC Northern Ireland: "There's no better place than the home of golf to get everyone together and talking.

"It's a great thing and a good sign that Jay and Yasir are playing together on Thursday. I think it is a step in the right direction. Time will tell if things go in the direction I want them to or a lot of people want them to.

"I think we all understand it is not easy and, you know, change for the most part in golf is resisted because it is such a traditional sport. But I think at this point in time I think change is needed to sort of try and drive the game forward and hopefully we can get to that point."

Asked when that point might be, McIlroy added: "Definitely before the year's end. Maybe it is going too slow for the people who follow golf. But I think in the business world deals of this size take time. You know, you are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions in the Middle East, US and Europe.

"It's a pretty complicated deal, but I think we'll know more by the year's end hopefully. We are in October, so three months to get something done and start 2025 with enthusiasm and all move forward together."