Rory McIlroy just flat-out said it: players are leaving LIV Golf. With LIV recently filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, McIlroy believes golfers are gonna start jumping ship and looking for new places to play. This isn’t just a rumor; the league’s roster is seriously up in the air right now, and the drama is only getting started.
LIV’s Bankruptcy Has Players Running for the Exits
McIlroy, a back-to-back Masters champ, isn’t just speculating either. He’s been outspoken about LIV for years, and now he’s pointing to the bankruptcy filing as the reason contracts are getting breached. That means players are free agents, folks! He put it bluntly: “LIV at the start looked a lot more attractive than what LIV 2.0 might be from a financial standpoint.” Ouch. He’s not trying to predict the future, but he *is* predicting that we’ll see some guys bail. And honestly, it makes total sense. Who wants to stick around when the money well starts drying up and the whole operation is in bankruptcy court?
The DP World Tour’s Big Moment and Rahm’s Huge Debt
So, where do these players go? McIlroy sees a big upside for the DP World Tour. He thinks an influx of talent from LIV could seriously boost the European circuit’s field strength and make their tournaments way better. He’s hyped on the DP World Tour’s health and its strong alliance with the PGA Tour, saying that partnership is only going to get tighter, especially with international events. Talk about a silver lining! What’s even wilder is that Jon Rahm, one of LIV’s biggest stars, is actually the league’s largest creditor! According to bankruptcy documents, LIV owes Rahm nearly $7.5 million as of the third quarter of 2026. Can you believe that? No wonder he’s in the field for this week’s Irish Open on the DP World Tour, alongside other LIV guys like Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton.
What’s Next for the Game?
These players have choices for 2027, and the DP World Tour looks like the biggest winner if they ditch LIV. We’ve already seen guys like Patrick Reed play on the DP World Tour this season, possibly eyeing a PGA Tour return next year. But here’s the kicker: the PGA Tour has been rock solid on its stance that the pathway back,the one Rahm and Brooks Koepka got at the start of the year (Koepka actually took it!),is now closed. They *could* open a new one, but they’re playing hardball for now. McIlroy says this part of the DP World Tour schedule, including the upcoming BMW PGA Championship and Open de France, is some of the best golf all year. After the regular season wraps up with the DP World India Championship, it’s off to the UAE for the Race to Dubai champion to be crowned. It’s gonna be wild to see who stays and who goes, but one thing is clear: the golf world is bracing for some big moves!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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