Rory McIlroy Calls LIV Golf a “Half-Good Idea” Before Saying He Supports Players Returning to the Tour

Rory McIlroy said LIV Golf has poorly executed “half of a good idea,” reflecting the capital wasted after the league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Sam Burns welcomes the return of golfers like Bryson DeCambo and Jon Rahm to the PGA Tour, despite committing to LIV years ago.

In the months leading up to LIV Golf's launch in 2021 and its opening ceremony in June 2022, no one was more isolated than Rory McIlroy, the league's fiercest critic. As the years have passed and with LIV's future in complete uncertainty, McIlroy has taken a broader view of things and, as a result, has softened his distaste for the league.

Perhaps there is a piece of McIlroy that feels bad for certain players who have left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf. Maybe he's mellowed a little as a 37-year-old, or with the career Grand Slam box ticked, maybe he's no longer thinking about anything that doesn't directly concern him.

While we may never know why, there's no denying that McIlroy's tone has changed when it comes to LIV, and his recent comments at the Bloomberg New Economics Forum only confirm that.

Live Golf files for bankruptcy after backing Saudi fund, leaving players millions unpaid

With LIV Golf filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the writing on the wall at least beginning to take shape that the LIV 2.0 effort could be a failed launch situation, McIlroy is beginning to ponder the league's first iteration.

"LIV probably had half a good idea that was executed very poorly," McIlroy shared during the forum in New Delhi. "They had a lot of capital, but I think that capital was wasted in some ways, and I think they could have used that money more strategically, and they could have partnered with some of the governing bodies of the game, and they certainly could have done better things with it, instead of just enriching the tour pros who were already making a lot of money."

An unapologetic, unforgivable Craig-carton show. Download his daily podcast now!

A year ago, maybe even sooner, it would have been hard to imagine McIlroy sharing thoughts like these about LIV Golf and what the business could do. In the past, it was only a moment to strongly criticize LIV.

This approach has probably been made easier by the official shutdown of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) earlier this year, but it's still an interesting change of pace from the former world number one.

RORY MCILROY has finally realized that it was a mistake to judge the players who went for LIV GOLF.

On that subject of change, McIlroy began to soften his stance on LIV players returning to the PGA Tour. In May, he said it would be "good business" for LIV players to return to the tour.

When asked on the forum if he would welcome the return of players to the tour, he stuck to the same idea with his answer.

"Yes, I do," McIlroy explained. A high tide lifts all boats and I think the return of some of these players is good for the tour business.

Get all the stories you need to know from the most powerful names in news delivered to your inbox every morning.