McIlroy says LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 filing and the loss of Saudi backing may prompt player exits that would make DP World Tour events more competitive and deepen the PGA Tour–DP World alliance.
LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 after the Saudi Public Investment Fund pulled future funding.
McIlroy expects some players to leave LIV now that bankruptcy protection has been filed and contracts may be breached.
Stronger fields on the DP World Tour could follow if former LIV players join European tournaments.
LIV Golf, the breakaway circuit that recruited top players with large contracts, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States. That filing followed a decision by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund to stop providing future funding. LIV's future and the status of high-profile players associated with it are now uncertain.
Speaking ahead of the Irish Open at Trump International Doonbeg, Rory McIlroy said he expects some players to leave LIV after the bankruptcy filing. He suggested the original LIV model looked more financially attractive than any proposed LIV 2.0. With contracts affected by the Chapter 11 petition, players may become free to move. Potential effects on the DP World Tour McIlroy framed the likely movement of players as a net positive for the DP World Tour. He pointed out that several LIV players could strengthen European tournaments by raising competitiveness and field quality. That, he argued, should improve the DP World Tour's standing and appeal to fans and sponsors. PGA Tour alliance and calendar opportunity McIlroy emphasized the existing alliance between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. He noted that PGA Tour players have a long gap of roughly five months in the international part of the calendar. If PGA Tour players and former LIV players are incorporated into DP World Tour events during that stretch, those tournaments could become stronger and more attractive. What this means for tournaments and players For tournament organisers: stronger fields can increase attention, ticket sales, and broadcast interest during a slow period of the global schedule. For players: moving between tours may be driven by contract status, personal choice, and where they can compete under favourable terms. For the DP World Tour and PGA Tour: the alliance gives them leverage to schedule and promote enhanced international events.
McIlroy, a long-standing critic of LIV, views the bankruptcy filing as likely to shift players back toward established tours. He believes that movement will benefit the DP World Tour by improving tournament competitiveness and by aligning with the PGA Tour's international calendar plans.
McIlroy believes the expected changes moving forward can prove a positive development for the “golf ecosystem”.
PGA commissioner: ‘The Tour is built on meritocracy’ Rahm and Hatton likely to start back on DP World Tour The head of the PGA Tour has insisted there will be no favours offered to golfers looking to return to the platform after LIV’s bankruptcy filing last week. The increasing likelihood is players such as Jon Rahm,
LIV 2.0, as it might be called, could live or die on The post Jon Rahm gave life to LIV Golf. His next move could kill it appeared first on National Club Golfer .
Saudi investors stopped backing LIV this year Rahm and DeChambeau may still be involved LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that spent billions luring top players away from the PGA Tour, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US, it announced on Tuesday. Launched in 2022, free-spending LIV caused shockwaves and bitter div
Organisation plans restructure though the fate of star players including Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm remains unclear.
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