Rory McIlroy is not holding back, flat-out saying that if the PGA Tour had been handed a cool $6 billion, it “would have done a better job with it.” That’s a direct shot, fired just as LIV Golf is scrambling to find a path forward without the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund cash, and frankly, the numbers are looking rough for the startup league.
LIV’s Empty Pockets and Canceled Events
This isn’t just McIlroy being McIlroy, either. The facts are piling up, and they’re not good for LIV. The PIF announced earlier this year it’s ditching the league after the 2026 campaign, reportedly after sinking over $5 billion into it since day one. What’s that look like on the ground? Well, LIV has been slapped with multiple lawsuits, two tournaments got axed, including the season-ending team championship that was supposed to go down in Michigan this month. Word on the street is they’ve been running on loans for months, and some players are allegedly still waiting on paychecks from the Bedminster tournament in New Jersey. That’s not just “problems,” folks, that’s a full-blown financial crisis.
“LIV 2.0” Sounds Like a Whole Lot of Questions
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil met with reporters ahead of their Indianapolis event, talking up a “LIV 2.0 vision” and claiming they’ve secured an investor. Players even met with O’Neil and this mystery investor on Tuesday night. But here’s the kicker: O’Neil gave zero details about who this investor is or how they’re actually going to fund the league moving forward. He talked about “coming together for the good of the sport,” but specifically excluded the PGA Tour and its new CEO, Brian Rolapp, from that leadership conversation. McIlroy’s response? He’s consistent, saying, “LIV has never been a good thing for the game.” He sounds pretty skeptical if “2.0” will even happen, or if their talk of being “more collaborative” is just lip service.
The Big Question: Who Comes Back?
With all this chaos, the golf world is buzzing about LIV players jumping ship back to the PGA Tour or DP World Tour in 2027. Jon Rahm, one of LIV’s biggest names, is reportedly open to it, and Bryson DeChambeau’s contract with LIV is up this Sunday. So, should the door be open for them to return after all the drama? McIlroy asks, “Have they brought value to LIV? You know?” and says the PGA Tour is “in a really good spot” already. Scottie Scheffler, fresh off an eight-shot win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, was a bit softer. He sees “some players that would provide a lot of value” to the Tour and enjoys competing against them. The dust is still settling, but you gotta wonder how many more players will be looking for an exit strategy as this mess continues to unfold.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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