Few things have split professional golf like the rise of LIV Golf. When the breakaway league arrived, it promised to shake up a sport that rarely changes. Four years later, the story looks very different.
Fans once wondered whether golf’s old order would survive the challenge from this rebel circuit. Now the question has flipped, and many wonder whether the upstart can survive at all. Few saw that twist coming.
One of the sport’s biggest names has now weighed in with a blunt review. His words are making waves across the game. They also raise a fair question about what the league really got wrong.
What Rory McIlroy actually said about LIV
McIlroy spoke at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi. He said LIV had “half a good idea” that was executed pretty poorly. The comments came as the league battles Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
McIlroy was in India for the DP World India Championship. He also said he would welcome LIV players back to the DP World Tour. That is a softer tone than he used back in 2022.
McIlroy also recalled that he and Tiger Woods were among the loudest critics when LIV launched in 2022. Both stayed on the PGA Tour. That choice looks pretty wise today given what has happened since.
How Saudi billions fueled the LIV dream
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund invested more than $5 billion in LIV Golf before announcing in 2026 that it would end its financial backing. The money helped attract stars such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau away from the PGA Tour.
LIV’s inaugural tournament took place outside London in 2022. Charl Schwartzel earned $4.75 million, including $4 million for his individual victory and $750,000 for his share of the winning team’s prize. It was the largest combined payout to a player at a single golf event at the time.
McIlroy believes LIV could have used its financial resources more strategically by partnering with golf’s established organizations. He also believes the split has become less threatening to traditional professional golf, even as LIV attempts to relaunch.
The money spent on already rich stars
McIlroy told interviewer Mishal Husain that LIV Golf could have used its enormous financial backing more strategically. He argued that partnerships with established golf organizations would have been more valuable than spending so heavily on players who were already earning substantial amounts.
Talor Gooch won LIV’s 2023 season-long individual championship and collected an $18 million bonus. Including his tournament winnings and team earnings, he made more than $36 million that season, illustrating the league’s exceptionally generous payouts.
McIlroy’s criticism highlights a central question about LIV’s original business model: whether its huge spending on established stars was enough to build a sustainable league. Its current bankruptcy proceedings have renewed scrutiny of that strategy.
How LIV ended up in bankruptcy court
LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 8, 2026, after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced it would stop funding the league beyond the 2026 season. Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau were listed among its largest unsecured creditors.
The bankruptcy filing reported liabilities of $500 million to $1 billion and assets of $100 million to $500 million. BBC Sport reported that current and former LIV players among the largest unsecured creditors were owed more than $45 million in unpaid compensation. The restructuring also opened a path for players to leave their existing contracts.
LIV had already canceled its planned Michigan team championship in August, ending its 2026 season with the Indianapolis event instead. The September bankruptcy filing formally began the court-supervised restructuring process.
Jon Rahm walks away from LIV
Jon Rahm has decided not to participate in LIV 2.0 after rejecting the proposed terms. His attorney told a bankruptcy hearing in October that the Spanish golfer had reviewed the new arrangement and found it unacceptable.
Rahm joined LIV in December 2023 as the reigning Masters champion. Now 31, he was one of the league’s biggest stars, making his departure a significant setback to its proposed relaunch.
Rahm was initially listed as LIV’s largest unsecured player creditor, with a $7.5 million claim. In October 2026, he agreed to a separation arrangement involving the surrender of more than $100 million in remaining contract value and financial claims. The arrangement remains subject to bankruptcy court approval. LIV had also laid off much of its workforce before filing for Chapter 11 protection in New Jersey.
Little-known fact: Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2025 Masters ended an almost 11-year wait between his fourth and fifth major championship titles. Later that year, he helped Europe win the Ryder Cup on American soil for the first time since 2012.
What is LIV 2.0 and can it work?
LIV 2.0 is a proposed restructuring that would give players ownership stakes in the league. BC Partners Credit is backing a potential return in 2027, with players expected to hold a combined majority stake under the new model.
The financing package targets up to $300 million, with further funding and implementation subject to restructuring conditions and necessary approvals. The bankruptcy process has also allowed LIV to terminate existing player agreements without preventing those golfers from considering new contracts with LIV 2.0.
The proposed relaunch depends heavily on securing enough player commitments and financing. LIV has extended its player commitment deadline to October 25, 2026, while its attorneys say a decision about whether to proceed or wind down operations is expected by the end of the month.
How the DP World Tour drew its line
DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings said players who join LIV 2.0 will not be eligible for DP World Tour membership in 2027. He told BBC Sport that players must choose which circuit they intend to compete on, marking a significant change from recent seasons.
Ryder Cup eligibility is also at stake. European players must hold DP World Tour membership to qualify for selection. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton were among the LIV golfers granted conditional releases to compete on both tours in 2026, but Rahm has since announced that he will not join LIV 2.0.
Players seeking DP World Tour membership for 2027 must make their commitments in accordance with the tour’s rules. Those who choose to compete on LIV 2.0 cannot also maintain DP World Tour membership under the announced policy, potentially affecting their chances of representing Europe at the next Ryder Cup.
What happens next for professional golf
Jon Rahm has ruled himself out of LIV 2.0, opening the possibility of a greater commitment to the DP World Tour in 2027. His continued eligibility could also strengthen Europe’s options for the next Ryder Cup.
The PGA Tour has restricted LIV golfers’ participation since 2022, while the DP World Tour previously allowed some players to compete across both circuits through conditional arrangements. That distinction is narrowing as the European tour prepares to exclude LIV 2.0 participants from its 2027 membership.
LIV has extended the deadline for players to commit to its proposed relaunch until October 25. Its restructuring agreement with BC Partners Credit includes financing intended to support preparations for a possible 2027 season. However, the league may instead wind down if it cannot secure the necessary player commitments and financial backing.
TL;DR
- McIlroy says LIV had half a good idea that was executed poorly.
- He believes the Saudi money would have been better spent elsewhere in golf.
- LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 8.
- Jon Rahm is leaving after rejecting the terms of LIV 2.0.
- The DP World Tour will block LIV 2.0 players from membership in 2027.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.