Rory McIlroy voices doubts about LIV Golf’s future and discusses former players returning to the PGA Tour.
In a more than 60-minute episode of the podcast series ‘Stick to Football’ on the English channel ‘The Overlap‘, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League, funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy shared his fundamental stance on LIV Golf, explaining why he has no personal connection to the league, and addressed the possibility of former PGA Tour players returning.
The five-time major winner, one of LIV Golf’s sharpest critics since its 2022 inception, speculated that the PIF might consider completely shutting down the league if the project doesn’t turn a profit in the long run. McIlroy said: ‘I don’t know, but if LIV can’t excite the audience, and they’ve invested so much money into this project without returns, I don’t know how long they can keep that going.’
Although LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced in late October 2025 that the league had raised around half a billion euros in sponsorships over the past ten months, it remains unclear when profits might begin. The ‘Money in Sport’ newsletter projected in May 2025 that PIF’s investments could reach five billion USD by the end of 2025. In the following October, it was revealed that the league’s UK branch had already recorded a total loss of 1.1 billion USD between its start and the end of 2024, with 450 million USD of that loss occurring 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 divide. Last time on this podcast, I admitted I might have been too quick to judge the guys who went there since not everyone is in the same situation as me,’ McIlroy said, adding, ‘When you are offered double the money for the same work, it’s hard to say no.’
McIlroy believes LIV Golf has yet to gain lasting popularity with fans and viewers but acknowledged that the league does have some positive aspects. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist,’ he suggested this mindset might limit his perspective. Nevertheless, he said: ‘They came in saying: \”We will be different, we will be this, we will be that.\” Even the fact they increased from 54 to 72 holes to earn world ranking points feels like simply doing what everyone else does. So what’s really different – besides the money?’