So, LIV Golf isn’t exactly off to a flying start this year. The whole World Ranking points controversy is still bubbling away, and Jon Rahm’s been vocal about his frustrations with the system. But despite all the drama, Rahm’s actually really upbeat about the state of golf right now. He’s even gone as far as calling it the “golden era of golf,” and he genuinely believes the sport can reach new heights after all the turmoil it’s been through. “But I think we’re living in a golden era right now for golf where the possibilities are endless,” Rahm recently said.

While, yes, the golf world does not like to see Rahm taking such a positive view, especially considering all the challenges LIV Golf has faced lately, not everyone’s on the same page as Rahm.

Rory McIlroy doesn’t seem to agree with Rahm’s rosy assessment, but why? Well, you may want to hear this from the golfer himself. Speaking a day after Rahm’s press conference at the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, McIlroy said that Rahm’s comments came from someone wearing “very rose-tinted glasses.” McIlroy acknowledged that there are “amazing players” competing in various tours and parts of the world, but he also pointed out that the system is currently not doing much for the players giving it their all.

“Yeah, look, I think what I would say is with everything that’s happened in the game over the past two or three years, I think what I maybe could envision is that the domination of the American side of things might come back a little bit in terms of, not that the game has never been global, but you know, sort of trying to build on the opportunities globally,” said McIlroy during the media appearance.

Well, it is true that despite LIV Golf trying so hard to build their brand globally because of the lack of OWGR points in the league. We’re sure everyone knows how is it affecting the Saudi-backed league as Eugenio Chacarra recently quit the league to join the PGA Tour. That’s not all though, LIV Gol also saw a massive decline in TV viewership in 2024, with a whopping 1 million fewer fans tuning in.

The final round on NBC drew only 2.2 million viewers, a significant drop from the 3.2 million who watched in 2023. So maybe it is understandable why McIlroy’s worried about the divisions within the sport while Rahm’s all about the positives.“I would share his optimism if the game wasn’t as disjointed and as fractured as it was.” That’s a pretty fair point, and many of you might agree with McIlroy here. In addition to this, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger, still up in the air, doesn’t exactly help either.

Until these issues get sorted out, it’s hard to share Jon Rahm‘s enthusiasm about golf’s golden era.

Rory McIlroy does not want golfers to join LIV Golf

Rory McIlroy is making headlines again, and this time he’s speaking out against LIV Golf. He’s specifically concerned about young Tom McKibbin, who’s rumored to be joining the Saudi-backed league. McIlroy thinks McKibbin is making a mistake, saying “If I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision.”

Maybe McIlroy is saying this because he’s witnessed firsthand the consequences of LIV Golf’s unfulfilled promises, as seen in Eugenio Chacarra’s experience. The 24-year-old revealed that LIV had assured him of Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and major appearances but ultimately failed to deliver. He said, “When I joined LIV, they promised OWGR and majors. But it didn’t happen. I trusted them. I was the first young guy; then the others came after I made the decision. But OWGR and majors still haven’t happened.”

Rory McIlroy is concerned that Tom McKibbin might be giving up too much by joining LIV Golf. He thinks McKibbin can still earn a lot of money playing on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. “There is still a ton of money to be made… So whatever the benefit may be, I don’t think it’s worth the sacrifice [for] what he’s potentially going to give up,” McIlroy believes the benefits of joining LIV Golf aren’t worth what McKibbin might lose. He wants McKibbin to make the best decision for his career. Do you agree with McIlroy’s concerns? Let us know in the comment section below!