Rory Mcilroy Says Liv Golf Had A Good Idea But Made Some Mistakes

Rory McIlroy believes LIV Golf had some good ideas when it was launched, but the Northern Irishman claims those running the league made mistakes when deciding how to spend their money.

The six-time Grand Slam tournament champion in golf has been one of LIV's biggest critics since its launch in 2022. McIlroy and Tiger Woods were among those who refused to join the Saudi-backed league, while several other big names accepted lucrative offers.

Now, LIV is facing an uncertain future after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund decided to stop financing the competition beyond 2026.

The league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, hoping to restructure and launch a new competition in 2027.

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi on Tuesday, McIlroy was asked about LIV and what went wrong with the project.

"LIV had probably half of a good idea, that was executed pretty poorly. They had a lot of capital, but I think a lot of that capital was wasted in some ways. And I think they could have used that money a lot more strategically, and they could have partnered with some of the governing bodies of the game. They certainly could have done better things with it, instead of just enriching tour pros who were already making a lot of money," McIlroy said.

Rory McIlroy© GolfDigest / X / Fair Use  

The former world No. 1 also spoke about the proposed LIV 2.0 project, which is trying to keep the league alive with new investors.

McIlroy believes it will be difficult for the competition to return, particularly because several established players have already decided against signing new contracts.

The 37-year-old also stressed that he no longer considers LIV a serious threat to the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.

BC Partners Credit has proposed providing up to $300 million in financing for a new version of LIV, but its support depends on enough players agreeing to participate.

McIlroy would welcome former LIV players back

Although McIlroy has criticized LIV on many occasions, he has recently taken a different approach when speaking about players who joined the competition.

The Northern Irishman believes allowing some of those golfers to return to the established tours would be good for business.

"I would vote for them to come back. A rising tide lifts all boats and I think having some of these players back is beneficial for the business of the tours," McIlroy said.

The former world No. 1 also admitted that some players who remained loyal to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour might not be happy about their former colleagues returning without consequences.

McIlroy has a history of disagreements with several LIV players, including his former Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia.

He previously criticized the decision of golfers who accepted large contracts to leave established competitions, arguing that the division was damaging professional golf.

Rory McIlroy© NUCLRGOLF / X / Fair Use  

However, the Northern Irishman later admitted that he had perhaps been too judgmental of certain players and their personal decisions.

In January 2024, McIlroy acknowledged that LIV had exposed weaknesses in the traditional golf system and said he would not judge everyone who decided to join the league.

He also supported the idea of golf being played in more countries, instead of concentrating most of its biggest tournaments in the United States.

LIV organized tournaments in countries including Australia and South Africa, attracting spectators and showing that there was demand for professional golf outside the usual markets.

McIlroy has previously spoken about the success of LIV's Australian events, including the atmosphere created by local supporters in Adelaide.

The Northern Irishman also explained that his opposition to LIV was partly connected to his own involvement in TGL, the indoor golf league he helped create alongside Woods.

He admitted that both golfers had interests to protect when LIV started recruiting established PGA Tour players.

LIV Golf faces problems ahead of 2027 season

One of the biggest problems for LIV is the departure of Jon Rahm, who recently announced that he would not be part of the proposed new competition.

The former Masters champion joined LIV in December 2023 after agreeing to a deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Rahm has since rejected the terms offered for LIV 2.0, while other golfers are also considering their options ahead of next season.

Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and several other established names have already left the competition or explored opportunities to return to traditional tours.

The DP World Tour has also introduced restrictions that could affect LIV players hoping to continue competing in its tournaments and representing Europe at the Ryder Cup.

McIlroy has played an important role in European Ryder Cup teams throughout his career and has previously stressed how much representing Europe means to him.

Rory McIlroy© Cam_Jourdan / X / Fair Use  

Another player who has spoken about LIV's problems is Joost Luiten.

The Dutch golfer believes players who accepted LIV contracts should not automatically receive their previous positions on the DP World Tour.

"If they think they are that good then show it at Q-School and beat the guys," Luiten said.

Meanwhile, LIV executives have continued working on plans for a new competition, with a revised ownership structure and more involvement for the players.

The league originally attracted golfers through large signing bonuses, guaranteed contracts and significant tournament prize money.

Saudi Arabia's PIF invested more than $5 billion into the project before deciding to withdraw its financial support.

McIlroy is currently preparing for the DP World India Championship in New Delhi, where several golfers who previously competed on LIV are also expected to participate.

The Northern Irishman will be hoping to add another victory to his collection before the end of the season, while the future of LIV Golf remains uncertain.