Rory McIlroy expresses doubts about LIV Golf’s future and discusses players returning to the PGA Tour in a recent podcast.
In a more than 60-minute episode of the ‘Stick to Football’ podcast series by English channel ‘The Overlap,’ Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy voiced skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League, which is financed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy discussed his general stance on LIV Golf and explained why he has no personal connection to the league. He also touched on the possibility of former PGA Tour players returning.
The five-time major winner and one of LIV Golf’s sharpest critics since its inception in 2022 speculated that the PIF might consider discontinuing the newly founded league if it fails to generate profits in the long run. McIlroy said, ‘I don’t know, but if LIV can’t excite fans and they’ve invested so much money in this project without returns, I don’t know how long they can sustain it.’
Although LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced in late October 2025 that the league had secured about half a billion euros in sponsorship over the past ten months, it remains unclear when profits might be attained. The ‘Money in Sport’ newsletter predicted in May 2025 that the PIF’s investments would reach five billion USD by the end of 2025. Furthermore, the league’s UK branch recorded a total loss of 1.1 billion USD between its launch and the end of 2024, including 450 million USD in 2024 alone.
McIlroy: ‘I Don’t Like What LIV Golf Has Done to Our Sport’
‘I don’t like what LIV Golf has done to our sport because it has caused a massive division. Last time on this podcast, I said I might have been a bit too hasty in judging the guys who went there, because not everyone is in the same situation as me,’ McIlroy stated, adding, ‘If you’re offered double the money for the same work, it’s hard to say no.’
McIlroy also believes LIV Golf has yet to resonate sustainably with fans and viewers but acknowledged that the league contains some positive elements. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist,’ he suggested that this mindset limits his view. Nonetheless, he remarked, ‘They came in saying, ‘We’ll be different, we’ll be this, we’ll be that.’ Even switching from 54 to 72 holes to gain world ranking points is basically doing what everyone else does. So what’s really different—bes