3 Major Reasons Why Rory McIlroy May Want to Be Part of LIV Golf Despite Being PGA Tour Loyalist

“There’s no one [that will go]. It’s dead in the water.” – said then-33-year-old Rory McIlroy back in 2023, as he denied the possibility of switching to LIV Golf. However, a year later, speculations had been rampant about the golfer and his possible jump to the Saudi-backed league. But if he were to do that, the Northern Irishman would have been suspended from the PGA Tour just like how Jon Rahm was back in December 2023.

Interestingly, soon after, the Northern Irishman was quick to deny the rumors, stating how much of a ‘traditionalist’ he was. But even so, one can’t help but wonder if the 4-time major champ wants to join the PIF-funded league all the while staying a part of the Jay Monahan-led circuit at the same time!

Is Rory McIlroy aiming for both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf?

Although the 24-time PGA Tour champ did express his denial of joining the breakaway league when he said, “It’s not for me, I’m too much of a traditionalist,” the golfer’s recent actions do make us think otherwise. Well, what reasons do we have to go ahead with such speculation?

1. A complete U-turn on LIV Golf: During an interview on Stick to Football, McIlroy admitted how he had made the mistake of judging the Middle Eastern League too soon. Elaborating on the same, he said, “I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start, and I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part.” What’s more, McIlroy even went ahead and accepted it as part of golf now.

Adding on, he pointed out how LIV Golf also exposed the many flaws in the system and the PGA Tour as he disclosed, “You’re asking for millions of dollars to sponsor these events, and you’re not able to guarantee to the sponsors that the players are going to show up.” Meanwhile, the professional also dubbed the two Tours competing against each other as nothing short of “unsustainable.”

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2. The Chubby Chandler tease: The 34-year-old’s former agent Chandler had recently pointed out the chances of him joining the Saudi-backed league. “I think number one, there’s a 10% possibility he’s favoring his way to sign for LIV,” said the ex-agent as he added how the tussle between the two tours is not at all good for the sport. What’s more, he even mentioned how if Jon Rahm, the current No. 3 in the world, can jump ships, then anyone in the sport can.

How did McIlroy react? “You never know, he might know a few things,” stated the golfer, albeit in a comical manner, as he responded to the claims set forward by Chandler. The professional also recounted how he might have met him back in the Middle East at the start of the year before going ahead to indulge in a cryptic smile of sorts. Truly an indication of a swaying mind, even though he later on dished out the “traditionalist” remark.

3. McIlroy’s support for Yasir Al-Rumayyan: During a press conference following the recently ended PGA Tour event, THE PLAYERS Championship, the 2011 U.S. Open champ was asked about the meeting between the PIF chairman and the Player Directors. Responding to the query, he expressed his hope for the framework agreement as he said, “I think it should have happened months ago, so I am glad that it’s happening. Hopefully, that progresses conversations and gets us closer to a solution.”

Additionally, he also highlighted how “the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice,” while alluding to Greg Norman and some of the defectors. Moreover, the Northern Irishman also made sure to talk about the big disconnect between the fund and the circuit; “I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing.”

Thus, it truly makes one think that the golfer is actually hoping to become a part of LIV Golf while keeping his allegiance to the Jay Monahan-led circuit intact. Regardless of the rumors, only time will tell if he will end up playing in the breakaway league.

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