Rory McIlroy voices doubts about LIV Golf’s future and discusses returning players to the PGA Tour.
In a podcast episode of the English series ‘Stick to Football’ by The Overlap, Irish golfer 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 talked about his general stance towards LIV Golf and why he has no personal connection to the league. He also addressed the possibility that former PGA Tour players might return to the tour.
The four-time major champion and one of LIV Golf’s harshest critics since its inception in 2022 speculated that the PIF might consider shutting down the newly founded league if it fails to generate profits in the long run. 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 it paying off, I don’t know how long they can sustain it.’
Even though LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced that the league had earned about half a billion euros in sponsorship revenue over the past ten months by late October 2025, it remains unclear when profits might be achieved. The ‘Money in Sport’ newsletter projected that PIF’s investment would reach five billion US dollars by the end of 2025. It was also reported that the UK branch of the league recorded a total loss of 1.1 billion US dollars between its launch and the end of 2024, with 450 million US dollars of that 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 podcast that I might have been a bit too hasty in judging the guys who went there because not everyone is in the same situation as me,’ McIlroy said, adding, ‘If you’re offered double the money for the same work, it’s kind of hard to say no.’
McIlroy believes LIV Golf has yet to find lasting appeal with fans and viewers, but he acknowledged that the league has some positive elements. Calling himself a ‘traditionalist’, he suggested this may limit his perspective. He noted, ‘They came into the game saying, ‘We will be different, we will be this, we will be that.’ Even the fact that they changed from 54 to 72 holes to get world ranking points is like just doing what everyone else does.’ He continued, ‘So, what’s really different now – aside from the money?’
Rory McIlroy on LIV Golf Returnees and the 2025 Ryder Cup
Regarding the possible return of former LIV players to the PGA Tour – as recently with Brooks Koepka after four years in LIV Golf – McIlroy appeared relaxed: ‘I think they’ve already paid their consequences,’ he said. ‘They earned a lot of money but also suffered the consequences considering the