As LIV Golf parts ways with Brooks Koepka and negotiates with Bryson DeChambeau on what promises to be pro golf’s largest guaranteed contract, Rory McIlroy is questioning the circuit’s future.
Written in a story Through That of the Telegraaf James Corriganthe Grand Slam winner and world number 2 said it was great that Koepka would return to the PGA Tour after the five-time Major League winner agreed to a number of penalties as a result of leaving the Tour for LIV in 2022 – “it puts Brooks back where he belongs,” said McIlroy. But McIlroy also wondered what LIV’s direction would be as DeChambeau, also one of the league’s stars, is in talks to renew a contract that expires at the end of the year.
As LIV enters its fifth season, it faces a situation where DeChambeau has significant leverage: He could demand a deal somewhere in the nine figures as a result of Koepka’s departure; he could also run away, to the PGA Tour or possibly to YouTube, a forum where he has amassed a large following. At Corrigan’s Telegraph In his story, McIlroy said that if DeChambeau were to rejoin LIV, the league would lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars just to maintain its current status.
“It’s not like they’ve done any big signings this year, is it?” McIlroy said in Corrigan’s story. “They haven’t signed anyone to move the needle yet and I don’t think they will. I mean, they could re-sign Bryson for hundreds of millions of dollars, but even if they do, it doesn’t change their product, right? They’re just paying for the exact same thing.”
“And they lost Brooks, so they’re going to pay out all this money and….”
McIlroy’s comments, made after the first round of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Invitational, were his first since Koepka’s situation became somewhat final on Monday, when the PGA Tour announced he would be allowed back on the circuit through what it calls the “Returning Member Program.” Under that policy, Koepka and three current LIV players — DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith — will be readmitted to the PGA Tour because of their major championship victories over the past four years, but will have to agree to a series of conditions, including making a $5 million charitable donation and not receiving access to the Tour’s stock program for five years or a bonus program until 2026.
In making that announcement, the Tour said Koepka had agreed to those terms, while the others have a February 2 deadline to decide. Or do they already have that? On Tuesday, DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith were part of a preview press conference of the LIV season, and each had these responses to a moderator’s question about Koepka and the Returning Member Program.
DeChambeau said, “Yeah, I mean, look, I’m under contract through 2026, so I’m excited about this year.”
Rahm said: “Yes, I don’t plan on going anywhere. Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best. As far as I’m concerned, I’m focusing on the competition and my team this year, and hopefully we can repeat as champions again.”
And Smith: “I mean, I really have no thoughts. I haven’t had much time to think about it. But I know I’m here to stay. I’m here to support LIV. I’m a captain of a great team and a great group of people. I’m happy where I am. I’m proud of where I am. I think we’re doing a lot of great things, especially in Australia, and I can’t wait for this league to continue to grow.”
Editor’s note: Click to read Corrigan’s full story here. It also includes McIlroy’s thoughts on the PGA Tour’s negotiations with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, and the direction of the PGA Tour.
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