McIlroy Says LIV Golf Players Face Tougher Route Back to PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy believes players who leave LIV Golf may face a difficult route back to the PGA Tour, with an earlier returning-member offer no longer available. Speaking before the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, McIlroy said he was not involved in any negotiations but did not expect returning players to be immediately welcomed back.

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BBC Sport reported that McIlroy pointed to the arrangement accepted by Brooks Koepka in January. Under that deal, the five-time major champion returned to the PGA Tour but forfeited player equity shares for five years, became ineligible for this year's $100 million FedEx Cup bonus program and agreed to donate $5 million to charity.

McIlroy said the returning-member program offered in February had expired. He recalled that any later agreement for another player was expected to be less favorable than Koepka's deal. His comments addressed the possible positions of prominent LIV players including Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm if they seek to end their involvement with the rival circuit.

The discussion comes during a period of uncertainty for LIV Golf. According to BBC Sport, Saudi Arabia confirmed in April that it was withdrawing financial backing, and LIV's Team Championship was subsequently canceled. That leaves this week's tournament in Indianapolis as the final event of the current season. LIV has said an unnamed lead investor has been secured to keep the competition operating in 2027.

McIlroy maintained his longstanding view that LIV has not benefited professional golf, while saying he took no personal satisfaction from people losing jobs. He argued that the PGA Tour remains the strongest platform for elite professional golfers. He also acknowledged that the tour could have responded better to some player concerns before LIV began attracting established names with lucrative contracts.

The Northern Irishman made the remarks while trying to improve on his performance at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis. BBC Sport reported that he shot eight over par and finished 66th. McIlroy said progress from that showing would count as a positive result at the BMW Championship, but his comments on LIV placed the conditions for any future player returns at the center of the week's wider golf discussion.