<p>Rory McIlroy speaking to reporters at Bellerive Country Club</p>
Rory McIlroy believes LIV Golf stars face "a tough, tough road" back to the PGA Tour should the cash-strapped breakaway league fold after this week's season-ending event in Indianapolis.
Speaking ahead of the BMW Championship in St Louis, the second of three FedEx Cup play-off events, the world number two had no sympathy for the defectors who showed little concern for the rest when "blowing the entire professional game up".
"Eventually, yeah, maybe," he said of a road back to the PGA Tour for the likes of Jon Rahm or Bryson DeChambeau should LIV Golf 2.0 fail to happen in 2027.
"I mean, look, eventually they will [come back]… but I'm pretty sure they're not going to be welcomed back straight away.
"If they were offered this returning member programme back in February, the one that Brooks [Koepka] took, then, yeah, maybe. But that has sort of come and gone.
"And I think it was said at the time that the deal that they might get going forward, if they do decide to come back, isn't going to be as good as the one that Brooks got. So I would say it's going to be a tough, tough road back."
McIlroy arrives at Bellerive Country Club searching for his game, admitting he'd prefer to be in Florida for his daughter's first day of school on Wednesday.
He downplayed his chances of winning and admitted that simply "seeing some progress" after finishing 25 shots behind Scottie Scheffler in Memphis last week would be a "win".
Even if he were to go on and win his fourth FedEx Cup, he confessed that Scheffler would almost certainly win Player of the Year.
"No. I'm not the Player of the Year. No chance. Scottie is," he said. "I firsthand watched him for the first two days last week, and if he keeps playing like that, you know, if he gains nine strokes on the greens every week, we're all f'd."
<blockquote><p dir="ltr">Rory McIlroy on whether LIV Golf players bring value to the PGA Tour if they return:<br /><br />"I'd argue, have they brought value to LIV?"<br /><br />(via <a href="https://x.com/jamierkennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">@jamierkennedy</a>)<a href="https://t.co/TTxBjjNVtC" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/TTxBjjNVtC</a></p>— Underdog Golf (@UnderdogGolf) <a href="https://x.com/UnderdogGolf/status/2090140472270315687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">August 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
He was more forthcoming on the potential demise of LIV Golf, even pushing back on the argument that some of its biggest stars would benefit the PGA Tour if they were to return.
"I mean, I would argue, have they brought value to LIV? You know? I think the PGA Tour's in a really good spot," he said.
As for feeling any personal satisfaction about the possibility of LIV Golf folding, he didn't hold back.
"I feel like I've kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game," he said. "So, and whatever 2.0 looks like, if it even happens, they say they're trying to be more collaborative and all that. But this is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world.
"Were there some things at the start of LIV that the PGA TOUR could have done better? Sure. But I think that, you know, the guys that went, or you look, you think back to the start with, like, say, Phil was unhappy with some stuff or whatever it was.
"Like, surely that just warranted a conversation instead of blowing the entire professional game up and doing something else.
"So I don't take any personal satisfaction in people losing jobs. That doesn't seem right.
"I've always felt like this is the best place to play professional golf. And I'm pretty sure if the PGA Tour were handed $6 billion, it would have done a better job with it."
As for his game, he plays five of the next six weeks but admitted that his lighter schedule has come about because his priorities in life have changed.
"That's the stage of life where I'm at. Where, you know, not all my eggs are in the golf basket," he said. "There's other things that I want to do and there's other things that I feel like I have to do. It's a balance.
"Some years I'll maybe play more, some years I'll maybe play where it's a little bit lighter. But it's just that balance of making sure that you play enough to stay sharp, but then also I guess having balance in your life that you feel like you're not missing out on other things that you want to do."
He added: "It's Poppy's first day of school today. I would have loved to have been home for that, but I'm here. Just stuff like that; things I didn't have 10 years ago that I have these days. I'm in a different spot in my life."
Even then, his work ethic and consistency impress Scheffler.
"He's a guy that I look up to in a sense just because of how long he's been able to do it for," the world number one said. "It's quite impressive."
Charley Hull withdraws from KPMG Women’s Irish Open
Elsewhere, Leona Maguire and Lauren Walsh join Stephanie Meadow at the LPGA's CPKC Women's Open in Canada before jetting home for the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, which has been left without world number six, Charley Hull.
The €450,000 event at The K Club had been feting the return of the English star, who would not come cheap.
Bar another withdrawal, she's opted instead to play the $4.4 million FM Championship in Boston and appears likely to return to the WIO next year.
Canada’s Anna Huang, who pipped Hull to victory in the PIF London Championship to become the youngest player to win four L ET titles, has decided to play at the K Club, where 15 Irish players will be in action.
The DP World Tour is in Scotland for the Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links as Irish Open qualifier Mark Power joins Ronan. Mullarney, Liam Nolan, Dermot McElroy and James Sugrue at the HotelPlanner Tour's Vierumäki Finnish Challenge.
Article Link: 'I'm pretty sure if the PGA TOUR were handed $6bn it would have done a better job with it' - McIlroy - News - Irish Golf Desk