Rory McIlroy expresses doubts about LIV Golf’s future in a podcast and talks about former players returning to the PGA Tour.
In a podcast episode over 60 minutes long from the ‘Stick to Football’ series on the English channel ‘The Overlap,’ Rory McIlroy voiced skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League, which is financed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy shared his general stance on LIV Golf and explained why he personally feels no connection to the league. He also touched on the possibility of former PGA Tour players making a comeback.
The four-time major champion and one of the fiercest critics of LIV Golf since its inception in 2022 speculated that the PIF might consider shutting down the newly founded league if it does not turn a profit in the long run. McIlroy said: ‘I don’t know, but if LIV can’t engage the viewers and they’ve invested so much money into this project without returns, I don’t know how long they can sustain it.’
While LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced in late October 2025 that the league had gathered roughly half a billion euros in sponsorship over the past ten months, the timeline to profitability remains unclear. The newsletter ‘Money in Sport’ predicted in May 2025 that investments from the Saudi PIF would reach five billion US dollars by the end of 2025. Additionally, it was reported that the British branch of LIV Golf recorded a total loss of 1.1 billion US dollars between its launch and the end of 2024, including 450 million US dollars 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. I said in the last episode of this podcast that I may have been too quick to judge the guys who went there because not everyone is in the same situation as I am,’ McIlroy said, adding: ‘If you’re offered twice the money for the same job, it’s kind of hard to say no.’
He also believes LIV Golf has yet to gain lasting support from fans and viewers but acknowledged that the league includes some positive aspects. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist,’ he suspected this might limit his perspective. Still, he remarked: ‘They came in and said: ‘We’ll be different, we’ll be this, we’ll be that.’ Even the fact that they changed from 54 to 72 holes to get world ranking points is just copying what everyone else does. So what is different now — apart from the money?’
Rory McIlroy on LIV Golf Returnees and the 2025 Ryder Cup
Regarding former LIV players returning to the PGA Tour — like Brooks Koepka, who recently returned after four years — McIlroy was calm: ‘I think