Golf superstar Rory McIlroy has issued a stark warning about the financial future of the breakaway LIV Golf series, suggesting it will need to spend an additional five to six billion US dollars simply to maintain its current position in the sport.
The Unbridgeable Divide in Professional Golf
Speaking at the CNBC CEO Council Forum, McIlroy expressed deep-seated doubts that the bitter split in men's professional golf, caused by the Saudi-backed league's emergence in 2021, can ever be healed. He highlighted that a proposed merger, which was suggested over two-and-a-half years ago, has shown no tangible progress towards a resolution.
"You see some of these other sports that have been fractured for so long," McIlroy stated, drawing parallels with boxing and American motor racing. "I think for golf in general it would be better if there was unification. But I just think with what's happened over the last few years, it's just going to be very difficult to be able to do that."
An 'Irrational' Financial Model
McIlroy, a staunch supporter of the traditional PGA Tour structure, was critical of LIV Golf's spending, which he described as "irrational". He pointed to the significant capital allocation that has so far failed to yield a return for the series.
"It's been four or five years and there hasn't been a return yet," McIlroy noted, "but they're going to have to keep spending that money to even just maintain what they have right now."
The Northern Irishman pinpointed a looming contracts carnage as a major issue. "A lot of these guys' contracts are up. They're going to ask for the same number or an even bigger number. LIV have spent five or six billion US dollars (£3.7billion / £4.5bn) and they're going to have to spend another five or six just to maintain where they are."
He concluded, "I'm way more comfortable being on the PGA Tour side than on their side but who knows what'll happen?"
DeChambeau Concedes an Impasse
McIlroy is not alone in his assessment of the stalemate. LIV Golf's own major champion, Bryson DeChambeau, has conceded that the two rival tours are at a significant impasse.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, DeChambeau said, "I wish something major would happen but I don't think it's going to in the immediate future. I think there are too many wants on both sides and not enough gives on the other. We're just too far apart on a lot of things."
Despite the current division, DeChambeau expressed a belief that "ultimately, I do think the game of golf will grow internationally."
A Landmark Year for McIlroy
This commentary on the state of golf comes on the heels of a phenomenal year for the 36-year-old McIlroy. His 2025 season has been one of his most successful, cementing his legacy in the sport.
His remarkable achievements include:
- Victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
- Winning The Players Championship the following month.
- Securing the coveted Masters Green Jacket in April, finally achieving the Career Grand Slam.
- A triumphant win at the Irish Open in September.
- Playing a pivotal role in Team Europe's historic Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black, their first win on American soil in 13 years.
- Clinching the Race to Dubai title for the seventh time, putting him just one behind Colin Montgomerie's record of eight.
As McIlroy enjoys the fruits of a career-defining season, his warnings about the financial instability of LIV Golf and the fractured landscape of the sport highlight a significant challenge that continues to loom over the world of professional golf.
