Rory McIlroy has voiced his opinion on the Saudi-backed circuit since its inception in 2022, and that opinion hasn't always been positive. Yet, now McIlroy supports former PGA Tour members as the list of golfers leaving LIV Golf grows.

In an appearance on The Overlap podcast on Dec. 2, Rory McIlroy said he's ready to welcome those who left the Tour to join the Saudi-backed league.

"I think they’ve already paid their consequence. They’ve made the money, but they’ve paid their consequence in terms of their reputation and some of the things they’ve lost by going over there," Rory McIlroy said during the podcast.

LIV golfers faced indefinite suspensions from the PGA Tour for participating in the inaugural LIV Golf event in June 2022 without a conflicting-event release. 

As of 2026, players seeking to return to the PGA Tour are required to serve a one-year ban starting from their most recent LIV Golf event.

However, McIlroy won't object if the rule changes. In fact, he wouldn't mind even if Bryson DeChambeau comes back despite not exactly being friends. "If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau back and whoever else, I would be okay with it," he said.

However, McIlroy added that he was not speaking on behalf of all PGA Tour members. "I recognize that not everyone is in my position. It would be up to the collective group of PGA Tour members to make that decision," he added.

The one-year suspension rule for players returning from LIV Golf is an approved PGA Tour policy. Any change or exception cannot be made solely by Commissioner Jay Monahan and must be decided through a vote of the full PGA Tour player membership.

That being said, his overall stance toward LIV golf has softened throughout the years.

Rory McIlroy’s stance on LIV Golf over the years

From 2022 to 2023, Rory McIlroy was among the vocal critics of LIV Golf. Back in 2022, he didn't shy away from saying that he “hated" what LIV was doing to the sport. He even described the ten-proposed league as "dead in the water."

While LIV has thrived, Rory McIlroy's opinion has also changed. During his January 3, 2024, appearance on The Overlap podcast, the Irishman discussed his newfound perspective.

While discussing LIV, McIlroy revealed that he never got an offer from LIV because he never engaged with the league, but did speak to Saudi PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

The golfer explained that during their conversation, he understood how passionate Yasir Al-Rumayyan was about the post.

"At the end of the day, we’re professional golfers, we play golf to make a living, and I absolutely understand it," McIlroy explained.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi