Rory McIlroy casts doubt on LIV Golf’s future and discusses the return of former players to the PGA Tour in a new podcast.
In a more than 60-minute episode of the \”Stick to Football\” podcast series by the English channel ‘The Overlap‘ released on Friday, Northern Irish star Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League, which is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). McIlroy shared his general stance on LIV Golf and explained why he personally does not relate to the league. He also touched on the possibility of former PGA Tour players making a comeback.
The five-time major champion and one of LIV Golf’s harshest critics since its 2022 inception suggested that the PIF might consider shutting down the league if it fails to turn a profit in the long run. McIlroy said, \”I don’t know, but if LIV can’t engage fans and they’ve invested so much money into this project without returns, I don’t know how long they’ll 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 sponsorships over the past ten months, it’s still unclear when profits may begin. The \”Money in Sport\” newsletter projected in May 2025 that PIF’s investments could reach five billion USD by the end of 2025. By the following October, the league’s UK branch reported a total loss of 1.1 billion USD from its start through 2024, with 450 million USD lost 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. I said in the last podcast that perhaps I was too quick to judge the guys who went there because not everyone is in the same position as me,\” McIlroy said. He added, \”When you’re offered double the money to do the same job, it’s hard to say no.\”
McIlroy believes that LIV Golf has yet to gain lasting support from fans and viewers but acknowledges that the league does have some positive aspects. He calls himself a \”traditionalist\” and believes this influences his perspective. Still, he said, \”They came in saying: ‘We will be different, we will be this, we will be that.’ Even switching from 54 to 72 holes to gain world ranking points seems like just doing what everyone else does. So what’s really different—apart