Rory McIlroy expresses doubts about LIV Golf’s future and discusses potential returns to the PGA Tour in a recent podcast.
In a podcast episode over 60 minutes long from the ‘Stick to Football’ series on the English channel ‘The Overlap‘ released last Friday, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League, funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy discussed his overall stance towards LIV Golf and explained why he has no personal connection to the league, also addressing the possibility of former PGA Tour players returning.
The four-time major winner and one of LIV Golf’s sharpest critics since its founding in 2022, speculated that the PIF might consider shutting down the newly established league if it fails to generate profits in the long run. McIlroy said, \”I don’t know, but if LIV can’t excite the audience and they have invested so much money without returns, I don’t know how long they can keep that up.\”
Although LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced at the end of October 2025 that the league had secured roughly half a billion euros in sponsorships over the past ten months, the timeline for profitability remains unclear. The \”Money in Sport\” newsletter predicted in May 2025 that the Saudi PIF’s investments would reach five billion US dollars by the end of 2025. In October, it was revealed that LIV Golf’s UK branch posted a total loss of 1.1 billion US dollars between its launch and the end of 2024, including a 450 million US dollar loss 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 caused massive division. Last time on this podcast, I said I might have been too quick to judge the guys who went there, because not everyone is in the same situation as me,\” McIlroy said, adding, \”If you’re offered double the money for the same work, it’s hard to say no.\”
McIlroy believes LIV Golf has not found lasting appeal among fans and viewers but acknowledges some positive aspects. Calling himself a \”traditionalist,\” he suspects this limits his mindset. He said, \”They came in saying, ‘We will be different, we will be this, we will be that.’ Even changing from 54 to 72 holes to earn world ranking points is just doing what everyone else does. So, what’s really different—aside from the money?