Rory McIlroy says LIV Golf bankruptcy is a ‘very good thing for the golf ecosystem’
Ramsey Cardy
On Tuesday, LIV Golf made the rumors reality when the league filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. The move is designed to pave the way for the league’s second act, protecting it from the huge amount of debt it has accrued since the Saudi Public Investment Fund exited stage left earlier this year. However, it also runs the risk of alienating stars such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith, who are still owned millions by LIV leadership.
With the financial ties now severed, the LIV Golf exodus may finally begin, and while that is certainly a bad thing for the league itself, Rory McIlroy sees it as good thing for the game of golf as a whole.
"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 at the Amgen Irish Open on Wednesday.
"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."
It’s no secret that McIlroy has never been LIV Golf's biggest cheerleader. In fact, he became the voice of the opposition as players like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau left for LIV’s (temporarily) greener pastures. Along the way, he won two green jackets, further solidifying his authority in the game of golf.
Though he has stopped just short of dancing on LIV’s grave in recent months, Wednesday’s comments make it clear where he stands. For the last five years, LIV has hoarded some of the best golf talent on earth, relegating it to FS2, often in the middle of the night. Following Tuesday’s bankruptcy filing, much of that talent is now poised for redispersal, and McIlroy isn’t the only one looking forward to seeing some old colleagues on the course once again.