Rory McIlroy says PGA Tour should be open to returnees from LIV Golf

WASHINGTON – World No. 2 Rory McIlroy questions LIV Golf’s ability to find new investors after Saudi backers pull out, adding on May 8 that the PGA Tour should be open to players wanting to return.

It is not so easy, however. The reigning Masters champion, a six-time Major winner, admitted that there will be some “bridges to cross” in any comebacks.

The Northern Irishman has long been a vocal LIV opponent and unhappy with PGA Tour players who jumped to US$25 million (S$31.7 million) events on the Saudi-backed series.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund has since announced it will stop funding LIV Golf at the end of the 2026 season, with the rebel tour now seeking new investors to continue beyond a scheduled August finish.

“It doesn’t mean that LIV is going to go away,” McIlroy said of the league’s financial woes. “They’re going to go and try and find alternative investment, whatever that may look like.

“But, when one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds in the world thinks that you’re too expensive for them, that sort of says something.”

The PGA Tour offered a temporary path back for some LIV players and five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka took advantage to make a return.

LIV’s demise could send dozens of players in search of a PGA spot, including Major winners such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, who has indicated he wants to work more on his YouTube ventures.

“It’s a question if they do want to come back,” McIlroy added. “We’ve seen the quotes over the last few days and it seems like some of the guys – again, it all depends on what happens to LIV.

“But if it is a scenario where they have the option to come back and play on the traditional tours, (PGA Tour chief executive) Brian Rolapp has said anything that makes this tour stronger, anything that makes the DP World Tour stronger, I think everyone should be open to that. That’s just good business practice.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of bridges to cross to get there, just because the guys over there are under contract and if they are able to keep it going and get a schedule together next year.

“It seems like those guys are still going to play the majority of their golf on LIV in whatever form it takes.”

McIlroy is also fine with players who do not seek a PGA comeback.

“At the start, I was probably too judgmental with the guys that went because I was seeing it from my point of view and maybe not seeing it from other points of view,” he said. “But again, I’m not going to judge anyone for not wanting to play on the PGA Tour.

“Does that mean that they go play DP World Tour maybe? If that’s a pathway, that would make the DP World Tour stronger, and I would be delighted with that, because that’s my home tour, at the end of the day.”

The 37-year-old is clear what is the right thing to do for the future, even if he does not advocate it.

“But if you want to be the most competitive golfer you can be, this is the place to be,” he added.

“And if you don’t want to play here, I think that says something about you.” AFP