Rory McIlroy voices doubts about LIV Golf’s future and talks about 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‘, released Friday, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the long-term future of the LIV Golf League. Funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), McIlroy discussed his general stance on LIV Golf and explained why he has no personal connection to the league. He also talked about the possibility of former PGA Tour players returning.
The five-time major champion and one of LIV Golf’s sharpest critics since its founding in 2022 speculated that PIF might consider ending the newly established league if it fails to generate long-term profits. McIlroy said, ‘I don’t know, but if LIV can’t excite the viewers and they’ve invested so much money into this project without returns, I don’t know how long they can keep it up.’
Despite LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil’s announcement at the end of October 2025 that the league had earned around half a billion euros in sponsorships over the past ten months, it remains unclear when profits might be realized. The newsletter ‘Money in Sport’ predicted in May 2025 that the Saudi PIF’s investments would grow to five billion US dollars by the end of 2025. By October, the league’s UK branch had already reported a total loss of 1.1 billion US dollars between its launch and the end of 2024, including 450 million 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 this massive split. Last time on this podcast, I said I might have been too quick to judge the guys who went there because not everyone is in the same position as I am,’ McIlroy said, adding, ‘When you’re offered double the money for the same work, it’s kind of hard to turn down.’
McIlroy believes that LIV Golf has yet to gain lasting traction with fans and viewers but acknowledged some positive aspects within the league. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist,’ he suggested this might limit his perspective. He said, ‘They came in and said, ‘We will be different, we will be this, we will be that.’ Even changing from 54 to 72 holes to get world ranking points is basically doing what everyone else does.’ He continued, ‘So what is different now — besides the money?’