Rory McIlroy says he’s open to welcoming rivals who left to affix LIV Golf again to the PGA Tour ranks.
It’s a notable change in public opinion for the five-time main champion, who has been among the many most open critics of LIV and its divisive impression on golf.
“I feel they’ve already paid their consequence. They’ve made the cash however they’ve paid their consequence by way of the fame and a few of the issues they’ve misplaced by going over there,” McIlroy stated in an look on “The Overlap” podcast. “If it made the general tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau again and whoever else, I’d be okay with it.
“Nevertheless it’s not simply me, and I recognise that not everyone seems to be in my place. It will be as much as the collective group of PGA Tour members to make that call.”
Within the wake of departures from a few of its prime golfers who accepted important paydays to affix LIV, the PGA instituted a rule that rivals is not going to be eligible to compete in its occasions till a full 12 months has handed since their last LIV occasion.
READ | Former World No. 1 and five-time main winner Brooks Koepka leaves LIV Golf
Laurie Canter, who final competed on the LIV Tour in 2024, was to develop into the primary LIV competitor to return to the PGA Tour this upcoming season after incomes his tour card. As a substitute, he determined to rejoin LIV, signing with Majesticks for the 2026 season.
5-time main champion Brooks Koepka might develop into the primary competitor who exams the PGA’s return coverage. Koepka signed a four-year cope with LIV reportedly price upwards of USD 100 million, however the league introduced on December 23 that he could be leaving the league forward of the fourth 12 months on his deal as a result of he can be “prioritising the wants of his household.”
It stays to be seen, nevertheless, if Koepka will try and return to the PGA Tour earlier than the one-year ready interval, which would prolong via August.
LIV has made the change from 54-hole occasions to the standard 72 to be able to try and make its occasions eligible for Official Golf World Rating factors, that are used to find out eligibility for main occasions.
OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman stated in an announcement on December 30 that the method of LIV occasions trying to be eligible for OWGR factors stays ongoing.
Printed on Jan 03, 2026