"I hate them," Rory McIlroy said three years ago when LIV Golf entered the scene. But is that enough time for the pro-golfer to change his view?

During his appearance on the latest episode of The Overlap podcast, the 36-year-old Irishman believed LIV Golf authorities of causing a "massive fracture" in the sport by luring players in with "double the money."

"I think the thing is with LIV is [that] it hasn't really resonated with people. I think there's some good elements to it. I've watched a little bit of it, and it's just not [doesn't capture the imagination]. Maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist to get it, but it just doesn't seem to have anything."

And McIlroy's not wrong. Earlier this year, based on viewership numbers, the PGA Tour's final round numbers were 17.78 times as large as LIV Golf's. The Saudi-backed tour's long-term problem has been drawing in viewers.

But that wasn't all. McIlroy also had a problem with the spending structure of the league, as he explained in a November 2025 interview with CNBC.

"As someone who supports the traditional structure of men's professional golf, we have to realise we were trying to deal with people that were acting, in some ways, irrationally, just in terms of the capital they were allocating and the money they were spending."

While providing players with staggering amounts of money is a significant aspect of LIV Golf's spending, arranging the festival-like environment for the league also incurs substantial costs.

But Rory McIlroy supports the idea of reconciliation

Earlier, McIlroy lashed out at DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and the others going for the transition. However, during his recent podcast appearance, he mentioned that he wouldn't have any issues with welcoming them back if it benefits the PGA Tour.

"If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau back and whoever else, I would be okay with it. But it’s not just me, and I recognize that not everyone is in my position."

Moreover, McIlroy wants a suitable conclusion to the whole story. "I don't know but if LIV is failing to capture the imagination and they've spent so much money on this venture and it isn't making a return for them, I don't know how much longer they can keep it going."

While nothing can be said about DeChambeau or the other LIV Golf associates' return, McIlroy's statement speaks volumes about his loyalty towards the PGA Tour.

Written by

Souvik Roy

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar