Rory McIlroy expresses doubts about LIV Golf’s long-term future and discusses former players returning to the PGA Tour in a recent podcast.
In a podcast episode of the ‘Stick to Football’ series by English channel ‘The Overlap’, released on Friday, the Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy voiced skepticism about the future of the LIV Golf League, which is funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy explained his fundamental stance on LIV Golf and why he has no personal connection to the league. He also addressed the possibility that former PGA Tour players might return.
The five-time major winner and long-time critic of LIV Golf, founded in 2022, speculated that PIF might consider shutting down the newly established league if it does not become profitable. McIlroy said, ‘I don’t know, but if LIV can’t excite the audience, and they’ve poured so much money into this project without seeing 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 around half a billion euros in sponsorship over the past ten months, it remains unclear when profits might be realized. The ‘Money in Sport’ newsletter projected in May 2025 that PIF’s investments would reach five billion US dollars by the end of 2025. Furthermore, it was revealed in October that the league’s UK branch recorded a total loss of 1.1 billion US dollars between its launch and the end of 2024, with 450 million US dollars alone in 2024.
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 huge division. Last time in this podcast, I said I might have been a bit hasty judging those guys who went there, as not everyone is in the same situation as me,’ McIlroy said, adding, ‘When you’re offered twice the money for the same work, it’s kind of hard to say no.’
McIlroy believes LIV Golf has yet to resonate sustainably with fans and viewers but acknowledged some positive elements of the league. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist,’ he admitted this might limit his perspective. He added, ‘They came in saying,