Rory McIlroy has voiced the view that a number of golfers currently under contract with LIV Golf are likely to look elsewhere for playing opportunities, especially now that the breakaway circuit has announced it is seeking bankruptcy protection and planning a major overhaul. The Irish star explained that the original allure of LIV Golf – a lucrative, high‑profile alternative to the traditional tours – may not be enough to retain all its talent once the organization restructures and re‑brands itself as "LIV 2.0" for the 2025‑26 season. On Tuesday, LIV Golf confirmed it is collaborating with its new lead investor, the private‑equity firm BC Partners, to devise a fresh financial and operational plan. As part of that process, the league filed for Chapter 11 protection in a New Jersey federal court, a move intended to give it breathing room while it reorganises its debts and charts a path forward.
The filing follows a public announcement earlier this year that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund – the primary source of funding for the league – would taper its financial support after the 2026 season. The PIF had poured roughly $5 billion (about £3.6 billion) into LIV Golf since its launch in 2021, a sum that many observers say has been spent faster than anticipated. According to sources at Sky News, many of the league's high‑profile members are currently in talks with LIV management about whether they will honour their contracts through 2027 or walk away.
Players such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau have been deliberately vague about their long‑term plans. Rahm, however, told reporters on Tuesday that he holds a contract with the league and is "more than willing to fulfil" it, suggesting at least a short‑term commitment. McIlroy, who has previously warned that returning to the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour could be a "tough road back" for former LIV players, added on Wednesday that the presence of those players on the established tours would actually raise the level of competition.
"I'm not in their shoes, but LIV 1.0 at the start looked a lot more attractive than what LIV 2.0 might be from a financial standpoint," he said ahead of the Amgen Irish Open. "I'm not trying to predict the future, but I would predict that you'll see some guys leave LIV Golf.
That means other tours have decisions to make. Obviously there's a lot of players on LIV that can strengthen golf tournaments and make them more competitive.
So I would see that as a good thing for the DP World Tour." Both Rahm and his European Tour teammate Tyrrell Hatton are slated to compete at the Amgen Irish Open and will also appear in next week's BMW PGA Championship. McIlroy believes that integrating former LIV players into the DP World Tour will bolster its overall health. "The health of the DP World Tour is in a really good spot," he remarked. "They have a wonderful alliance with the PGA Tour.
I think that alliance is only going to get stronger, especially with the PGA Tour committing to working with the DP World Tour for some of these international events at this time of the year going forward." He continued, "So you have PGA Tour players really with nothing to do for five months in this period. If whoever else is incorporated into these tournaments, that makes them more competitive. Overall, with the way things are working out, it's a very good thing for the golf ecosystem. It only makes these tournaments stronger with more competitive players in them." Looking ahead to the 2027 Ryder Cup, which will be hosted at Adare Manor in Ireland, European captain Luke Donald acknowledged that there remains uncertainty about which LIV‑affiliated golfers will remain on the circuit.
Donald said the prospect of playing in the Ryder Cup could be a decisive factor for many of those players. "There's still some uncertainty," he explained.
"Time will tell to see where those guys land. Obviously, you want your best players available, and you want them playing as many counting events as possible. You set your qualification system to try and determine who those top six guys are, and the more someone like a Jon Rahm or Tyrrell Hatton, if they are playing more events on the DP World Tour, they are going to have a better opportunity to fill one of those top six.
So that's obviously great." Donald added that while he cannot control individual schedules, the Ryder Cup remains a top priority for many of the players currently under LIV contracts. "If not, we'll see what happens. But I don't really determine their schedules or where they play. But I know a lot of these guys, the Ryder Cup is high up on their priority list.
So I'm sure they will be thinking about that," he said. The Amgen Irish Open will be broadcast across all four rounds by Sky Sports, with the first round kicking off at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday on Sky Sports Golf and the remaining three days shown live on Sky Sports+. Additional coverage slots are scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m.
and 3 p.m., with weekend sessions beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. After the Solheim Cup, the tournament will continue to be available on Sky Sports Golf, and viewers can also stream the event via the NOW platform without a long‑term contract.
Beyond the immediate tournament coverage, golf enthusiasts are encouraged to explore booking options at the more than 1,700 courses throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. By entering a city, course name, or postal code on the relevant booking portal, players can compare rates and secure tee times at a wide variety of venues, ranging from historic links to modern parkland layouts. This broader accessibility reflects the sport's ongoing effort to engage fans and participants alike, even as the professional landscape continues to evolve amid the shifting fortunes of LIV Golf and its rivals.