Rory McIlroy on Brooks Koepka in TGL: I would love him to play
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Rory McIlroy said on a podcast on Jan 2, 2026 that he would not object to LIV stars joining the PGA Tour.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – Rory McIlroy said that he has no qualms about the prospect of Brooks Koepka joining TGL.
And the Northern Irishman’s voice likely holds some water given that he is a co-founder of the indoor golf simulation league along with Tiger Woods.
As for Koepka, he is available following his departure from LIV Golf
So would the 35-year-old Koepka be welcome in TGL?
“I would say that’s up to people that are more powerful and more important than me. But I am one of the founders. I would love him to play,” McIlroy said on Jan 2, after his Boston Common Golf Club recorded a 7-5 TGL win over Los Angeles Golf Club.
“If there’s space on a team for Brooks to come and play, it only makes what we’re trying to do stronger. He’s a five-time Major champion. He’s been one of the best players of our generation. If he decides it’s something that he wants to do, I’m sure we’ll find a way to include him.”
McIlroy’s comments came on the heels of his appearance on The Overlap podcast earlier in the day.
The 36-year-old, who is also a five-time Major winner after completing a career Grand Slam following his 2025 Masters win, said on the podcast that he would not object to LIV stars joining the PGA Tour.
“I think they’ve already paid their consequence. They’ve made the money, but they’ve paid their consequence in terms of the reputation and some of the things they’ve lost by going over there,” McIlroy said.
“If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau back and whoever else, I would be OK with it. But it’s not just me and I recognise that not everyone is in my position. It would be up to the collective group of PGA Tour members to make that decision.”
In the wake of departures of some of its top golfers who accepted significant paydays to join LIV, the PGA instituted a rule that competitors will not be eligible to compete in its events until a full year has passed since their final LIV event.
Laurie Canter, who last competed on the LIV Tour in 2024, was to become the first LIV competitor to return to the PGA Tour this coming campaign after earning his tour card. Instead, he decided to rejoin LIV, signing with Majesticks for the 2026 season.
LIV, meanwhile, has made the change from 54-hole events to the traditional 72 in order to attempt to make its events eligible for Official Golf World Ranking (OWGR) points, which are used to determine eligibility for Majors, one of the things that players who jumped ship missed out on.
OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman said in a statement on Dec 30 that the process of LIV events attempting to be eligible for OWGR points remains ongoing. REUTERS
