'Have they brought value?': McIlroy fires shot at returning LIV Golf stars
Masters champion Rory McIlroy says LIV Golf players who want to return to the PGA Tour face a tough road ahead.
Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about whether LIV Golf players who may return to the PGA Tour would bring any value. The golfer questioned what benefit these players would offer the U.S.-based circuit. McIlroy made his comments ahead of the BMW Championship, speaking to reporters at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, Missouri.
The PGA Tour is thriving, he stated. LIV Golf is concluding its 2026 season this week in Indianapolis, and it recently secured a lead investor to provide funding as it transitions away from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. However, it is uncertain if golf superstars Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith, who are among LIV Golf's biggest stars, will continue with the rebel circuit or attempt a comeback to the PGA Tour.
Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour through a limited Returning Member Program in early 2026, but he faced a significant penalty – a five-year forfeiture of potential PGA Tour equity, which could amount to $50–85 million, depending on his performance and the tour's growth. McIlroy implied that any future returning players might face an uphill battle, stating that if they were eligible for the Returning Member Program in February, it is unlikely they would be welcomed back immediately.
The program has since closed, and McIlroy suggested that any departing players might not receive favorable terms if they decide to return.
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