Rory McIlroy addressed LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing during his Wednesday press conference at the Amgen Irish Open, calling the move “a very good thing for the golf ecosystem.”
RELATED: LIV Golf Has Officially Filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
“I am not trying to predict the future, but I would predict that you will see some guys leave, as they are free to now as, I guess, contracts have been breached by them filing for bankruptcy,” McIlroy told reporters.
“I think that means other tours have decisions to make, and 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… Overall, I think with the way things are working out, it is a very good thing for the golf ecosystem.”
LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the District of New Jersey on Tuesday, entering a court-supervised restructuring process tied to a new agreement with BC Partners Advisors. Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith are among the players still owed millions through unpaid player agreements in the filing, with Rahm topping the list at $7.47 million.
McIlroy has been LIV Golf’s most vocal opponent since the league launched in 2022, publicly criticizing it as players such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau departed for the rival circuit. He has since won back-to-back Masters titles in 2025 and 2026.
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McIlroy’s comments Wednesday suggest he expects LIV’s current roster to disperse now that the league’s financial ties to players have been disrupted by the filing. The PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, which allowed a limited window for LIV defectors to reapply, closed on February 2, 2026, and PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has said there are no plans to reopen it. Brooks Koepka remains the only player to successfully return through that process.
