Rory McIlroy looked back at how the PGA Tour operated before LIV Golf arrived, and his verdict was direct. The six-time major winner spoke Tuesday, June 16, at his pre-tournament press conference ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.

When asked about his concerns over the Tour's proposed schedule changes, McIlroy didn't soften his view.

"LIV created this false economy where we had to up prize funds and had to cut fields and try to support the top players and all that stuff, which I think needed to happen because that was the only way to retain talent at the time," McIlroy said.

"But now that LIV looks like it's less of a threat, I think, as I said, the old ways of the PGA Tour weren't actually that bad."

The proposed changes, first reported by the Sports Business Journal, would introduce a two-track system. Track One would feature 23 elevated events, including the majors and playoffs, with fields of 120 or more players. Track Two would carry 20 events with 140-man fields.

McIlroy's concern is which events end up on which track. He pointed directly at last week's Canadian Open, where he is a two-time winner.

"Track Two is a glorified Korn Ferry event," McIlroy said. "That's what track two is going to be. So I don't think the Canadian Open should be one of those."

He also flagged the financial reality driving the divide. "I just think there's going to be certain events that might lose their stature if a sponsor doesn't pony up $30 million," McIlroy said. "So that's the tough thing."

McIlroy acknowledged he isn't in those decision-making rooms. But his read on the situation is clear: the Tour's pre-LIV structure worked better than the current response to it.

The Canadian players who played last week raised the same concern independently.

Canadian Pros Nick Taylor and Corey Conners Also Voiced Worry Over Their Home Event's Future

McIlroy wasn't the only voice raising flags about the Canadian Open's standing. Two of the country's top players said the same thing in their own way last week at TPC Toronto.

Conners was direct about how much the event means to him. "I'm really passionate about this event," Conners said as reported by Golf.com.

"The Open factor, you know, it's always been nice to have 21 Canadians and give some young Canadian players an opportunity to play at such an elite event."

Taylor was more pointed. "That would certainly suck," he said of the possibility of the Canadian Open becoming a Track Two event. "I wouldn't love that, certainly."

He also raised the naming question. "I think it would probably obviously lose the Open name because nobody can essentially earn their way into it or play into it," Taylor said. "So it's unique for us, being a national open. If you can't play in it, that's going to be a big bummer."

Also, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp is expected to share more details about the tour schedule at next week’s Travelers Championship. 

Do you think the Canadian Open deserves a spot on the PGA Tour's Track One, or is the two-tier system the right move for the game?

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Ankita Yadav