Rory McIlroy voices doubts about LIV Golf’s future and discusses former players returning to the PGA Tour in a recent podcast.
In a podcast episode over 60 minutes long from the series ‘Stick to Football’ on the English channel ‘The Overlap‘, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League, which is funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy discussed his general stance on LIV Golf and why he does not have a personal connection to the league. He also touched on the possibility of former PGA Tour players returning to the tour.
The five-time major winner and one of LIV Golf’s fiercest critics since its 2022 inception speculated that the PIF might consider shutting down the newly founded league if it does not yield long-term profits. McIlroy said, ‘I don’t know, but if LIV can’t excite viewers and they’ve invested so much money into this project without seeing returns, I don’t know how much longer they can sustain it.’
Although LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced in late October 2025 that the league had secured approximately half a billion euros in sponsorship over the past ten months, it remains unclear when profits might begin. The newsletter ‘Money in Sport’ projected in May 2025 that the Saudi PIF investments could reach five billion USD by the end of 2025. Additionally, reports from October revealed that the league’s UK branch had recorded a total loss of 1.1 billion USD between the league’s start and the end of 2024, with 450 million USD alone lost 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 a massive divide. I mentioned in the last podcast that I might have been a bit too quick to judge the guys who went there, as not everyone is in the same position as I am,’ said McIlroy, adding, ‘When you’re offered twice the money for the same job, it’s kind of difficult to say no.’
McIlroy also believes that LIV Golf has yet to find sustainable support among fans and viewers but acknowledged the league contains some positive elements. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist,’ he suspected this influences his mindset. Nevertheless, he pointed out, ‘They came in saying: ”
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“We will be different, we will be this, we will be that.”
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