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Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson and
Dustin Johnson are among a number of top players who have joined
the lucrative series, which brought suspensions and fines from
the U.S.-based and European tours.
Four-times major winner McIlroy has been one of the most
outspoken critics of the breakaway circuit but said now was the
time to find common ground.
"That needs to happen," McIlroy told BBC Sport when asked
whether peace talks should take place. "I wish it hadn't got
that messy ... In hindsight there were probably steps that were
missed that wouldn't have made it as messy.
"Everyone has to pivot and change and try to be better and
hopefully get to that stage but ... all the narrative isn't
good. It's splitting the game instead of everyone coming
together."
The $255 million LIV series is being bankrolled by Saudi
Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which critics say is a
vehicle for the country to improve its image in the face of
criticism of its human rights record.
McIlroy highlighted the increased prize money on offer on the
Ladies European Tour thanks to sponsorship from the Saudi
state-owned energy giant Aramco, which is also a global partner
of Formula One.
"There's so much chat about where the money is coming from,
Saudi and everything else. They sponsor so many other things.
They are all over sport," he said.
"I understand people's reservations with things but at the same
time, if these people are serious about investing billions of
dollars into golf, I think ultimately that's a good thing but it
has to be done the right way."
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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