“It’s not as if they have made any huge signings this year, is it?” Rory McIlroy told The Telegraph's James Corrigan on Thursday.

McIlroy spoke for the first time since Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour was announced on January 12.

Koepka left LIV Golf in late December 2025 and is set to rejoin the Tour in January through its one-time returning member program. 

As part of the Tour’s requirements, the five-time major champion will make a $5 million donation to charity and will give up player equity shares for the next five years.

McIlroy welcomed the Tour’s decision to bring Koepka back, saying, “Anything that makes the traditional tours stronger is a good thing in my book.”

In the offseason, LIV Golf’s main addition was Thomas Detry, the world No. 57, who joined Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC. 

"They haven’t signed anyone who moves the needle, and I don’t think they will,” McIlroy added.

However, after bringing in Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton ahead of the 2024 season, the league has not secured similar high-profile signings in recent windows compared to its early years.

McIlroy added that even if LIV re-signs Bryson DeChambeau for hundreds of millions, it would not change what the league offers, because they would simply be paying to keep the same product.

With Koepka no longer in the fold, LIV has lost a key name from its roster. DeChambeau’s contract runs through the end of 2026, and he has not confirmed what comes next beyond that point. 

Any extension could depend on whether the league’s backers are willing to offer a deal that exceeds $500 million.

McIlroy also acknowledged that the future remains uncertain. “Look, I’m way more comfortable being on the PGA Tour side than on their side, but who knows what will happen.”

Rory McIlroy on the finances of LIV Golf

McIlroy said, “A lot of these guys’ contracts are up. They’re going to ask for the same number or an even bigger number. LIV has spent $5 billion or $6 billion, and they’re going to have to spend another five or six just to maintain where they are.”

UK financial filings show the PIF has invested more than $5 billion into LIV Golf since its launch in 2022, including more than $1 billion last year. 

LIV Golf, which features shotgun starts, a team format, and a festival-style atmosphere, is shifting to 72-hole tournaments this season to strengthen its case for Official World Golf Ranking recognition. 

The league is also raising purses to $30 million for its 11 regular-season events and $50 million for its season-ending team and individual championships.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu