McIlroy says golf’s civil war is turning as LIV loses momentum

Rory McIlroy believes LIV Golf’s threat to the established tours has faded, arguing that Saudi backers would now need to spend “hundreds of millions” merely to prevent the breakaway league slipping further behind in golf’s long-running civil war.

Speaking after news that Brooks Koepka will return to the PGA Tour later this month, McIlroy suggested the balance of power has shifted decisively back towards the traditional game. Koepka’s comeback comes less than a month after leaving LIV with a year still to run on his contract, a move that will see him pay a $5m (£3.7m) fine and accept limited playing restrictions.

The Northern Irishman said the departure of one of LIV’s biggest names underlined how fragile the project has become. “It’s not as if they made any huge signings this year, is it?” McIlroy said. “They haven’t signed anyone who moves the needle and I don’t think they will.”

Under the Tour’s recently introduced Returning Member Programme, three other elite LIV players also qualify to rejoin. Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith have all indicated they will not return before the 2 February deadline. Even so, the door remains open.

That uncertainty leaves LIV facing uncomfortable financial questions. DeChambeau’s contract expires in August and McIlroy noted that the Saudis may have to meet reported demands of around $500m (£372m) to retain their most recognisable draw. “They could re-sign Bryson for hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said, “but even if they do, it doesn’t change their product. They’ll just be paying for the same thing.”

McIlroy’s remarks follow a quiet transfer window for LIV, whose most highly ranked new signing is Belgian golfer Thomas Detry, currently outside the world’s top 50. The last major capture, Tyrrell Hatton, arrived two years ago. While LIV’s chief executive Scott O’Neil has sought to play down Koepka’s exit, the loss of a five-time major winner is widely seen as a significant blow.

“This is great as it gets Brooks back to where he belongs,” McIlroy said. “He’s one of the best players in the world and anything that makes the traditional tours stronger is a good thing in my book.”

The comments mark a clear shift in McIlroy’s own stance since the so-called framework agreement was signed in 2023 between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. At the time, he argued that reunifying the game was essential. Talks later stalled and McIlroy concluded that compromise was largely one-sided.

“It’s difficult to negotiate when only one side is prepared to,” he said, pointing to the Tour’s subsequent $1.5bn private US investment, with a further $1.5bn expected. That backing, he believes, has left the Tour no longer dependent on a deal with LIV’s financiers.

“We were trying to deal with people who were acting, in some ways, irrationally in terms of the money they were spending,” McIlroy said. “They’ve spent $5bn or $6bn already and they’ll have to spend another five or six just to stand still.”

McIlroy was speaking after the opening round of the season at Dubai Creek Golf Club, where seven birdies in his first 11 holes helped him to a five-under-par 66. The round left the world number two one shot clear of Spain’s David Puig and Scot Connor Syme.

Fresh from completing the career grand slam with victory at last year’s Masters, McIlroy said he was content with the direction of the men’s game. “I’m very happy to be with the PGA Tour,” he said. “I like where everything’s going and I like where the game is.”

More detail on the structure and rules of the PGA Tour, including player eligibility and membership pathways, is set out on the PGA Tour’s official website.

For more insight into the forces shaping elite sport and its wider impact, follow EyeOnLondon. We welcome your views on the future of professional golf in the comments.

[Image Credit | Bunkered]

Follow us on:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!

We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!