Getty Rory McIlroy during the final round of the 2024 Genesis Invitational.
Nobody has been more critical of LIV Golf since the Saudi-backed circuit hit the scene than Rory McIlroy, who once went as far as to say in July 2023 that he’d retire if the renegade tour were his only option.
The four-time major champion has softened his stance in the months since the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced plans to merge (negotiations are ongoing). He even called Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm’s recent defection “a smart business move.”
So, could Rory pull the ultimate heel turn and make the jump himself? His former agent, Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, recently floated the idea, telling InstantCasinos.com that he’s “sure it’s a possibility.”
“Rory is of the ilk that he’ll say something because he likes to have an opinion, but he’s quite happy to apologize for it, and that’s what he’s done,” Chandler said, according to a February 23 Bunkered story. “If you were being cynical, you might say he’s going to sign for about £750 million ($950 million) in a month’s time with LIV because he’s paving the way that LIV’s okay now, whereas it wasn’t.
“Who knows? He doesn’t need £750m, but it’s odd what he’s done, and I’m sure it’s a possibility,” Chandler said. “If he does it or not, I don’t know, but if Rahm can do it, most guys can do it.”
Rory McIlroy Once Said He’d Rather Retire Than Join LIV Golf
🗣️’If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire’
Rory McIlroy responds to revelations that he and Tiger Woods could have been offered LIV team ownership as part of the PGA Tour’s proposed merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund ⤵️
In July, just over a month after the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced plans to join forces, McIlroy, who was then a member of the PGA Tour policy board (a position he’s since left), stated that he understood that the merger was “better for the game of golf” but still held harsh feelings toward the Saudi circuit.
“If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on Earth, I would retire. That’s how I feel about it,” said McIlroy. “I’d play the majors, but I’d be pretty comfortable.”
“I still hate LIV. Like, I hate LIV,” McIlroy continued. “Like, I hope it goes away. And I would fully expect that it does. And I think that’s where the distinction here is.”
LIV Golf obviously hasn’t gone away, and the merger seems further away than ever as the PGA Tour recently received a $3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group, which will become a minority owner in the new for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises.
McIlroy’s ‘Dream Scenario’ for a Global Golf Tour
Ahead of his 2024 debut, Rory McIlroy spoke to the media, saying his “dream scenario” for golf is a world tour. 👀
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In an interview with Golf Digest on January 9, McIlroy laid out his “dream scenario” for a global golf tour, one that would include the top 70 to 100 players in the world and a 22-event schedule featuring more big tournaments outside the United States.
“My dream scenario is a world tour, with the proviso that corporate America has to remain a big part of it all. Saudi Arabia, too. That’s just basic economics. But there is an untapped commercial opportunity out there,” said McIlroy.
“To me, it is by looking outward. They need to think internationally and spread their wings a bit. I’ve been banging that drum for a while.”
Rory mentioned a possible fifth major championship being held in Australia and also discussed the possibility of high-profile events in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. Rory also dove into the team competition LIV Golf offers and how it could fit into a new entity.
“If it is done like the IPL cricket model, team competition has a chance in golf,” McIlroy maintains. “I’ve said what I’ve said about LIV. I still think it is a confusing product. So, what they need to do is lean more into the team stuff.
“If you want to make your team franchises valuable, especially if you’re not going to get World Ranking points, then dive deep into team golf. I could see an eight-event schedule with four events in the spring and four events in the fall. If it was an IPL-like team thing, I would enjoy it hugely. There is an opportunity there to do more within the bigger ecosystem.”