Rory McIlroy has commented on the future of LIV Golf amid doubts over how the league will look once the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia has withdrawn their financial support.
McIlroy would be forgiven for feeling the urge to take something of a victory lap. Those who remained loyal to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour must now feel that their decisions to stay have been vindicated.
There is no indication that LIV Golf is going away completely. However, it certainly appears that the days of LIV as we know it are now numbered, with the PIF set to walk away from the league after the season.
It has been a dramatic turnaround when you consider that the framework agreement was announced less than three years ago. In fact, the two sides met at the White House just last year to try and thrash out a deal.
Rory McIlroy comments on the future of LIV Golf
Rory McIlroy was one of those who eventually felt that the game needed an agreement between the two biggest tours to bring an end to its civil war.
But speaking ahead of the PGA Championship, the 37-year-old suggested that the PGA Tour was clearly correct to stand its ground.
He also shed light on just how in the dark those involved with LIV were about the speculation concerning the league’s future.
“I’m glad I was wrong. I can admit when I’m wrong, and that was one that I did get wrong,” he said.
“I think it was always a possibility to happen. Look, I think everyone knows with everything that’s happening in the Middle East, that had a lot to do; but whenever you have funding tied so much to the geopolitical landscape in the world, that’s a tricky road to navigate.
“Yeah, their priorities shifted, and that leaves LIV in a pretty precarious spot, but again, it was always a possibility. I feel like a lot of us in this room, including me, we almost knew before the players did that this was going to happen. Like I was hearing about this back in March, April time.
“Look, I have friends over there. One of my best friends, Ricky, caddies for Tom McKibbin, who’s over there, and I would talk to him all the time about what was going on. I was saying to Ricky, even before Mexico: ‘have you guys heard any of this stuff?’
“He was like, ‘No, everything seems okay over here.’
“It just feels like the rug was pulled from under their feet and everyone was sort of blindsided by it.
“But again, that’s the risk that those guys chose to take. As I said, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the air right now.”
McIlroy is asked whether he has any idea what is next for the league
Obviously, everyone is waiting to see what happens next with LIV. It is almost inevitable that star names will walk away, while the schedule could change dramatically.
Some may try and return to their former tours. McIlroy was asked about whether he had any inkling when it comes to what the future holds for LIV as a league.
“I don’t. I’m not privy to the deals they have. I guess from what I read they’ve got some sponsorship revenue for I don’t know how long that those commitments are,” he said.
“Look, if they do somehow get a schedule together for next year, it seems like it’s going to look drastically different to what it’s looked like over the last four years.”
It is going to be fascinating to see what happens next with LIV. It is hard to see how they will be able to continue as any sort of competitor to the DP World Tour, let alone the PGA Tour.
