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Rory McIlroy has revealed how rumours LIV Golf was set to be defunded were swirling on the PGA Tour well before the plug was pulled.
The back-to-back Masters champion was speaking ahead of this week’s PGA Championship when he said he first heard the bombshell as early as March.
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It was not until the end of April that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund confirmed it would pull funding at the end of 2026, plunging the breakaway league — and the careers of all its players — into uncertainty.
“It was always a possibility,” McIlroy said. “I feel like a lot of us, including me, we almost knew before the (LIV) players did that this was going to happen.
“I was hearing about this back in March, April time.
McIlroy said that upon hearing the rumour, he reached out to a contact within LIV Golf, only to learn they were left completely in the dark.
“I have friends over there. One of my best friends, Ricky (McCormick), caddies for Tom McKibbin. I would talk to him all the time about what was going on,” McIlroy said.
“I was saying to Ricky: ‘Have you guys heard any of this stuff?’ He was like: ‘No, everything seems OK over here.’
“It just feels like the rug was pulled from under their feet and everyone was sort of blindsided by it.
“That’s the risk that those guys chose to take. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the air right now.”
McIlroy was one of the most vocal critics against LIV Golf when it launched in 2022, and doubted its ability to survive.
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Once established, however, McIlroy then used his voice to plea for a merger deal between the PGA Tour and the Saudis to be struck.
Asked about that call on Tuesday, McIlroy said in hindsight “I’m glad I was wrong.”
He added: “Everyone knows, with everything that’s happening in the Middle East, that had a lot to do (with it)
“But whenever you have funding tied so much to the geopolitical landscape in the world, that’s a tricky road to navigate. Their priorities shifted, and that leaves LIV in a pretty precarious spot.”
Jon Rahm speaks over LIV controversy
LIV Golf’s biggest-ever recruit, Jon Rahm, was pressed during his press conference about claims he thought he could single-handedly force through a merger when he signed for the Saudi breakaway in late 2023.
Rahm was LIV Golf’s only big-name signing to come after a Framework Agreement between the two circuits was revealed in mid-2023.
As ratifying the agreement stalled, the Spaniard’s recruitment drove a massive wedge between the two parties from which the merger ultimately never recovered.
At the time of signing, Rahm told the BBC that he believed he could be “the tipping point” for the merger to be pushed through.
Instead, LIV Golf dangles by a thread, while Rahm has villain status on the PGA Tour. It’s been widely reported that many players on the Tour are frosty towards Rahm, who has been accused of sabotaging a merger that might’ve benefited all parties.
But Rahm has now pushed back on the suggestion he thought he was going to be the one who would end the golf war.
“I was never, like, thinking that I was going to be any sort of weight that would tip the scales to make things come together,” he said.
“That was never an argument in my mind. When asked if that was the case for people to come together, that would be great. I never made a decision based on that.”
As for any regrets about joining LIV Golf on a deal worth a reported A$415m over multiple years?
“Now, I would also say I’ve made a lot of decisions in my life, and I’ve never gone back thinking, ‘Oh, had I known this again, I would do X and Y different,’” he said.
“I could do that about 15 different golf shots on the golf course every single day. If I lived my life like that as a golfer, I would be a very pessimistic person… just to speculate on what could have done, what could have been different doesn’t really make much sense.
“We all go back. We all think what could have been and what couldn’t have been. It’s inevitable… if the terms change afterward, like it’s happened with LIV that things changed a little bit, it’s an afterthought, not a problem from the choice.”
Asked about what he’s learnt from being on LIV Golf the past two years, Rahm was blunt.
“That is for me to know. And that’s about that.”
Rahm, the two-time reigning LIV season champion and 2026 points leader, said he has faith that LIV officials will develop a solid plan to sustain the series.
“It’s something we’ve had to deal with,” Rahm said. “But it’s just some things that are out of my control.
“What I can focus on is the next shot. It’s the people in charge of LIV, whose job I do not envy for a second, … it’s their job to fix it.
“I have faith in the work they’re doing. I have faith that they’re going to come up with a good plan.
“Until that plan is explained to us, not that there isn’t anything to worry about, but I don’t think I need to add any attention to it.”
McIlroy has ‘clear road ahead’ to win more majors
McIlroy brings a sharper mental focus into the 108th PGA Championship that tees off Thursday at Aronimink than he had a year ago after a historic Masters triumph.
The 37-year-old from Northern Ireland, who won last year’s Masters to complete a career Grand Slam and end a 10-year major win drought, said Tuesday he has managed to rest and reset after defending the green jacket last month at Augusta National.
“Coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year,” McIlroy said. “I’ve got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors.” The six-time major winner could capture his third PGA crown this week, but more importantly has a much better vision of his game than this time last year when after achieving a major milestone struggled to 47th at the PGA at Quail Hollow, his worst major finish since 2021.
“Especially after the last couple of years, I need to take the time after the Masters to reset and decompress and get myself in the right mental space again to get myself up for this tournament and keep going for the US Open and The Open Championship,” McIlroy said.
“I came into this tournament last year a little bit sort of uncertain of what my future was — I conquered this thing that I wanted to conquer for so long, and I still hadn’t really reset goals or found whatever that motivation was to keep going or go forward and set myself goals for the rest of my career.
“It probably took me a good few months to get to that point.” McIlroy took three weeks off after his latest Masters victory before returning last week at Quail Hollow, where he has won four times.
World number two McIlroy, who has a cameo in the new movie “The Devil Wears Prada 2”, skipped Doral two weeks ago to attend a White House State Dinner.
“I know how fortunate I am and so lucky to be in this position in life, and sometimes you have to enjoy the perks because I know this isn’t going to last forever,” McIlroy said.
“There’s going to be a day where I’m not competing for major championships, so I guess while I’m doing it, I have to enjoy it, as well.
“It has been amazing but there’s still a lot of things I want to achieve. If I can enjoy it along the way that’s a nice thing to do.”
McIlroy snuck in a practice round at Aronimink during his week off. “I wanted to do the State dinner, and if I was going to do that, it was probably better I take that week to practice and prepare, come up here and see the golf course,” McIlroy said.
It allowed him to relax and arrive at Aronimink on Monday night without being stressed about missing a day of practice.
“I wanted to just get an early look because I knew that was going to be my only opportunity,” he said.
“I definitely think courses we don’t see very often… it certainly has benefited me over the years.” McIlroy first made an early practice trip for a major in 2011 at Congressional on the advice of Jack Nicklaus and won his first major title at that US Open.
“For the most part, when I have made an advanced trip, it has worked out well for me,” McIlroy said.
‘Bittersweet’ runner-up run has Scheffler inspired at PGA
Top-ranked defending champion Scottie Scheffler has turned “bittersweet” feelings over three consecutive runner-up finishes into inspiration ahead of this week’s PGA Championship.
The 29-year-old American, who won the PGA and British Open last year after taking the 2022 and 2024 Masters titles, captured his 20th career PGA Tour title at the American Express in January.
Since then, however, Scheffler has settled for second place at the Masters, Heritage and Doral tournaments. The results left him somewhat pleased yet unsatisfied.
“I would say a little bit bittersweet,” Scheffler said. “You know you’re playing good golf, and you’d love to get some wins. Finishing second hurts.
“But when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing second than there is when you’re finishing 30th.” Scheffler has finished in the top 10 in each of his past six majors, the longest such run since Vijay Singh’s seven in a row in 2004-2006.
With four titles and 16 top-10 finishes in his past 20 major starts, Scheffler arrived at Aronimink well prepared to add to his trophy total.
“If my game feels like it’s in a pretty good spot, a lot of it is checking the boxes and making sure things feel the way they should heading into a tournament like this,” Scheffler said.
“The last few weeks I’ve played some nice golf, so a lot of it was make sure I got rest, made sure I checked the boxes, and made sure things feel the way I want them to feel heading into a major championship — and just get the mind right to come out here and play.” Scheffler and second-ranked Rory McIlroy have together won four of the past five majors, but they have never had a Sunday battle down the back nine for a title.
It’s not a matchup Scheffler is particularly motivated to have, never mentioning McIlroy by name when asked about it.
“I would not say that it drives me,” Scheffler said. “My sources of motivation have always been internal.
“For me getting better at golf is such an interesting and fun thing to try to accomplish. You’re always toeing the line between getting better and getting worse.
“When I can go out by myself and practice and have something I want to work on and improve on, that’s one of my favourite things.
“I also love competition. I don’t like losing. But at the end of the day, I think the preparation, getting ready to come out here and play, is something that I really enjoy. I don’t really think about much else other than that when I’m at home practising.
“I don’t really look for a lot of sources of outside motivation.”
– ‘Relentlessness’ –
That focus is something McIlroy said impresses him about Scheffler. “It’s his relentlessness, the comfort in which he does the same things over and over,” McIlroy said. “It’s not flashy, but he dots his Is and crosses his Ts and does all the right things.
“It’s that relentless pursuit of the process and not just letting the outcome happen.”
Spieth makes 10th bid for career Grand Slam at PGA
Jordan Spieth makes his 10th attempt to complete a career Grand Slam at this week’s PGA Championship, trying to snap a nine-year major win drought.
The 32-year-old American won the 2015 Masters and US Open and the 2017 British Open, but has struggled in recent years, taking only two PGA Tour titles since capturing the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale.
While he has not cracked the top 10 in a PGA Tour event since last year’s Memorial, Spieth is confident he can contend this week at Aronimink.
“I’ve been driving the ball really well which is a nice premium. I feel like that puts me in a position to contend here versus maybe when I hadn’t been in other PGAs,” Spieth said Monday.
“Driver has to be a weapon in the PGA Championship, so if I can continue on the path I’ve been on, then that leaves me with plenty of opportunities.
“My game has been getting better and better. It’s plenty good to have a chance to win. It’s about working my way into contention.” World number 51 Spieth, who last won at the 2022 PGA Heritage event, produced his best PGA Championship result in 2015, finishing second to Australia’s Jason Day at Whistling Straits.
In nine prior tries to complete a career Slam at the PGA, his best finish was third in 2019.
“It would be amazing, because it’s just a very short list in history,” Spieth said of the career Slam. “Just winning this tournament in general would be very special.” “Having won the other three, that’s the one that everyone focuses on. But when I’m out here, and certainly when I get out on the golf course, I’ve been in contention a couple of times in this tournament. It didn’t feel any different than any other majors, so I wouldn’t expect to if I get there this week.” Spieth resists adding pressure to an already tension-packed week. “As far as the career grand slam, this tournament is always highlighted. If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason. But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way,” he said.
“Just go out and get ready for the first hole, get a good game plan in and attack it the way it needs to be attacked.” Spieth doesn’t expect his reaction to be as emotional as that of Rory McIlroy when the Northern Ireland star won the Masters last year to complete a career Slam.
“My situation was certainly different than his at Augusta, so I think that was unique to him,” Spieth said. “I don’t think it would feel similar.”
England’s sizzling Fitzpatricks seek major glory at PGA
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, English brothers and two of the world’s hottest golfers, are housemates this week as they chase a major title at the 108th PGA Championship at Aronimink.
In the suburbs of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, two siblings from Sheffield must navigate the perils of a difficult course, world-class rivals and living with each other.
“We are different,” elder brother Matt said Monday. “He’s messy, I would say. We shared a bathroom last week, actually, in the house that we shared, and it was a little bit messier than my side of the bathroom, I’ll say.
“I’m very strict on my routine. I want to do this and I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that’s great, and obviously we want to play together. But yeah, I want him to be able to do his own thing.” Fourth-ranked Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, was second at March’s Players Championship and since then won the Valspar and Heritage titles and shared a victory at the PGA Tour pairs event in New Orleans with 27-year-old Alex.
Alex Fitzpatrick, who won his first DP World Tour title at the Indian Open in March, accepted a US PGA Tour berth and followed with a share of ninth at Doral and a fourth-place effort last week at Quail Hollow.
That gave him $2.8 million in prize money over the past three weeks and a jump to 83rd in the world rankings, up from 120 last week and 203 when the year began.
Alex will make only his second major start this week after sharing 17th at the 2023 British Open, when he also shared a house with Matt for the week.
“It’s the same as ever,” said Matt Fitzpatrick. “He’ll ask me when I’m playing and he’ll either join me or he’ll kind of fit in elsewhere.” Matt Fitzpatrick, 31, has enjoyed seeing his brother’s success. “Impressed more than anything. Super proud of him for how he has been playing,” Matt said. “I’m probably known as Alex’s brother now, as opposed to him being Matt’s brother.” The elder brother said he has not yet pondered how it might feel to be battling his sibling for a major title on Sunday.
“I would imagine it’s going to be a weird feeling when that time does come,” Matt Fitzpatrick said.
After saying his 2022 run to a major title marked his best golf, Matt Fitzpatrick says his current streak has “eclipsed” that “golden period.” “Cashed that all in,” he said. “I’m trying to cherish it as much as possible. It’s all happening very quickly.” “Given the three wins I’ve had, that has obviously been fantastic.”
Revitalised Rose sets aside Masters loss for top PGA form
Justin Rose says he feels re-energised after another difficult Masters loss, entering this week’s PGA Championship with new vitality and mental sharpness.
The 45-year-old Englishman tees off Thursday afternoon alongside top-ranked defending champion Scottie Scheffler and countryman Matt Fitzpatrick at Aronimink.
World number seven Rose won his 13th career PGA Tour title in February at Torrey Pines but found more heartbreak last month at the Masters.
On the same Augusta National stage where he lost playoffs to Sergio Garcia in 2017 and Rory McIlroy last year, Rose led briefly and was in Sunday’s back-nine battle before sharing third.
“After the Masters, I went home and there was a lot to absorb there. That was a tough loss,” Rose said Tuesday.
“The first two weeks back have been just about finding my feet again, to be honest with you, so I really don’t feel like I’ve been neglecting any part of my game.
“I don’t feel like there have been a lot of other distractions to other elements of my game. I just think that there’s cycles of form and there’s cycles of things you’ve got to work through mentally.
“I feel like I’ve done a nice job of that now and this week I feel the enthusiasm and the energy is coming back to kind of want to compete.
“I feel just a little bit more switched on and ready to go.” There are plenty of reasons to boost his confidence, like the four top-10 finishes in his past six PGA Championship starts.
Rose won the 2010 PGA Tour National tournament played at Aronimink, taking only his second US triumph.
He also reached a playoff at Aronimink in 2018 before losing to American Keegan Bradley in a playoff at the BMW Championship.
Add to that his 2013 US Open victory at nearby Merion and it’s no wonder Rose likes his chances.
“The whole area feels very familiar to the part of England I live in — very leafy, very green,” Rose said. “The spring here is very much like the spring in England right now, so it feels very familiar.” There are a record-tying 14 Englishmen in the field, but no Briton has taken the PGA Championship title since Jim Barnes won the first two in 1916 and 1919.
– ‘Wish list’ irons –
Rose is also using irons made by British automaker McLaren, which is entering the golf market with an 18-month project alongside Rose.
“It’s a full wish list of all of the things I would like to see in a set of irons,” Rose said. “I can play great this week with them.” Such moves have helped keep Rose near the top as younger rivals challenge. “I’m not here at 45 because I’ve done the same things over the last 10 years,” Rose said. “I’m always doing something different, I’m always pushing myself, always finding one percents. That’s what makes it exciting.”
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