Rory McIlroy admitted he was "surprised" and had "mixed emotions" after learning of the shock declaration of peace in golf's civil war, but believes that the partnership will "ultimately be good for professional golf."

McIlroy and Tiger Woods had established themselves as the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV Golf, but both were kept in the dark about the stunning deal announced on Tuesday.

Fellow players reacted with surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

"It was a surprise, I knew there had been discussions going on in the background but I didn't expect it to happen as quickly as it did," McIlroy said in a press conference ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.

McIlroy added: "I gather the (PGA) Tour felt they were in a real position of strength coming off the DP World Tour winning their legal case in London; it weakened the other side's position.

"I think ultimately when I try to remove myself from the situation and try to look at the bigger picture and I look 10 years down the line, I think ultimately it's going to be good for the game of professional golf.

"It unifies it and secures its financial future. There's mixed emotions in there as well.

"I don't understand all the intricacies of what's going on. There is a lot of ambiguity, a lot to still be thrashed out but at least it means the litigation goes away, which has been a massive burden for everyone and we can start to work toward some kind of way of unifying the game at the elite level."

McIlroy said he still had confidence in PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who reportedly faced calls to resign from several players in an "intense and heated" players' meeting on Tuesday.

"I've dealt with Jay a lot closer than a lot of those guys have and from where we were a couple of weeks ago to where we are today, I think the future of the PGA Tour looks brighter as a whole," McIlroy said.

"What that looks like for individual players in keeping a Tour card, bringing players back into the fold, that's where the anger comes from.

"I understand that and there still has to be consequences to actions. The people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this Tour, started litigation against it.

"It's not LIV. I still hate LIV. I hope it goes away and I would fully expect that it does."

"We can't just welcome them back in. That's not going to happen. That's what Jay was trying to get across yesterday."

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McIlroy said he was "never offered any money" to join LIV, but admitted he felt like a "sacrificial lamb" after effectively becoming the public face of the PGA Tour.

Asked if those who did turn down massive offers should be compensated, he said: "The simple answer is yes. The complex answer is how does that happen? That's all up in the air at the minute.

"It's hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb and feeling like I've put myself out there and this is what happens.

"Again, removing myself from the situation, I see how this is better for the game of golf, there's no denying it. For me as an individual, there's just going to have to be conversations that are had."

McIlroy was keen to distinguish between LIV Golf and the PIF, admitting: "It's not LIV. I still hate LIV. I hope it goes away and I would fully expect that it does.

"That's where the distinction here is. This is the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the PIF, very different from LIV.

"All I've tried to do is protect the PGA Tour and what it stands for. There may be a team element and you're gonna see maybe me play in some sort of team golf, but I don't think it will look anything like LIV has looked and I think that's a good thing."