{"id":658088,"date":"2026-05-09T11:51:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T11:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/658088\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T11:51:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T11:51:11","slug":"rory-mcilroy-has-blunt-message-for-liv-golf-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/658088\/","title":{"rendered":"Rory McIlroy has blunt message for LIV Golf stars"},"content":{"rendered":"

A lot has been said on both sides since it was rumored and then confirmed that Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund would be pulling its financial backing<\/a> for the breakaway league at the end of the current season, ending a five-year association that has cost almost $6 billion.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s led to a lot of confusion about what\u2019s next. LIV has added new people to its board in a bid to bring in new investors, while the players are sending mixed signals. One could argue that Jon Rahm\u2019s decision to end his stalemate<\/a> with the DP World Tour means he is planning a way back to the traditional circuits, while Bryson DeChambeau has had talks with the PGA Tour and even considered a more unconventional method<\/a> to preparing for majors.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s Anirban Lahiri, DeChambeau\u2019s Crushers teammate, who says he knows of \u201cat least a dozen\u201d players who would rather retire<\/a> than go back to the PGA Tour.<\/p>\n

But a long term critic of LIV Golf, McIlroy has largely stayed out of it since the news broke last week. Until now.<\/p>\n

Speaking at Quail Hollow, where he\u2019s fine-tuning his game for next week\u2019s PGA Championship<\/a>, McIlroy said \u201cit\u2019s a question if they do want to come back\u201d.<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cIt all depends on what happens to LIV. If it is a scenario where they have the option to come back and play on the traditional tours, [PGA Tour CEO] Brian Rolapp has said anything that makes this tour stronger, and anything that makes the DP World Tour stronger, everyone should be open to that.
That\u2019s just good business practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut again, I think there\u2019s going to be a lot of bridges to cross to get there, just because the guys over there are under contract and if they are able to keep it going and get a schedule together next year, it seems like those guys are still going to play the majority of their golf on LIV, in whatever form it takes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to judge anyone for not wanting to play on the PGA Tour. Does that mean that they go play DP World Tour? Maybe, if that\u2019s a pathway. That would make the DP World Tour stronger, and I would be delighted with that because that\u2019s my home tour at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, he couldn\u2019t resist a sly dig at his LIV Golf rivals about a potential PGA Tour return.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to be the most competitive golfer you can be, this is the place to be,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd if you don\u2019t want to play here, I think that says something about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just the players in the firing line, either.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean that LIV is going to go away,\u201d he added. \u201cThey\u2019re going to go and try and find alternative investment, whatever that may look like. But when one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds in the world thinks that you\u2019re too expensive for them, that says something.\u201d<\/p>\n

“If you don’t want to play on the PGA Tour, I think that says something about you.”<\/p>\n

Rory comments on the quality of the Tour and where LIV golfers will want to play \u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/uMkRF3hGW2<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n