Rory McIlroy has credited LIV Golf for having the makings of being a good idea, but criticised the league for how they spent the vast sums of money invested in the venture.
The golfing world is waiting to see how LIV 2.0 will look after the league filed for bankruptcy back in September. Already a number of names have confirmed their intention to walk away from the league ahead of the 2027 season.
It has been a rapid decline for LIV. At one stage, a merger involving the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia seemed to be inevitable. The two sides even held a meeting at the White House to discuss a deal.
However, the PIF has now walked away from LIV. And it certainly seems that the days of LIV being any sort of threat to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour are long gone.
Rory McIlroy reflects on the mistakes made by LIV Golf
Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Rory McIlroy reflected on the demise of LIV and suggested what they should have done differently.
“LIV had probably half of a good idea, that was executed pretty poorly. They had a lot of capital, but I think a lot of that capital was wasted in some ways. And I think they could have used that money a lot more strategically, and they could have partnered with some of the governing bodies of the game. They certainly could have done better things with it, instead of just enriching tour pros who were already making a lot of money,” he said.
LIV Golf has had a big impact on the game, but won’t be able to enjoy any of the benefits
LIV has definitely changed the game. The PGA Tour will look extremely different from 2028 onwards, and that would likely not have happened had it not been for the threat that LIV posed.
The credit that Rory McIlroy offered is surely in reference to the events LIV hosted in Australia and South Africa. They showcased the potential that the game has in some of the markets that the PGA Tour has neglected over the years.
Brian Rolapp’s vision for the PGA Tour appears to include elevating some of the great events around the world, including the Australian Open.
Unfortunately for LIV, it appears that the league has missed the opportunity to become a key player in the game’s ecosystem.
They took their shot at becoming a powerhouse of the game, and they missed. As Rory McIlroy suggests, it did not need to be this way.
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