McIlroy questions LIV golfers’ values

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Rory McIlroy questioned whether Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm had ever “brought value” to LIV Golf, as the divisive rival tour scrambles to reinvent itself and speculation mounts that its stars could jump ship.

Having lost its deep-pocketed Saudi backers, breakaway series LIV this week was forced to cancel its season-ending team championship event in a bid to stay afloat into next year, when it is exploring a slimmed-down schedule.

Asked whether LIV’s biggest stars should be allowed to return to the PGA Tour — as has been widely rumored — and if they would “bring value,” McIlroy was dismissive.

“I mean, I would argue, have they brought value to LIV? You know?” McIlroy said.

DeChambeau and Rahm were among the most prominent and highly paid defectors to LIV Golf.

LIV reportedly received more than $5 billion from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund between 2021-2026, before it pulled the plug.

Six-time major winner McIlroy has remained steadfastly loyal to the traditional PGA Tour, and an outspoken critic of LIV.

“I feel like I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game,” said McIlroy on Wednesday, ahead of the BMW Championship in Missouri.

While former LIV stars like Brooks Koepka have recently accepted deals to return to the PGA Tour, McIlroy predicted it will be “a tough, tough road back” for LIV’s top holdouts.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had offered a more diplomatic answer when asked earlier Wednesday about the possibility of LIV stars returning to the PGA fold.

“When you look at the higher levels of LIV Golf there’s definitely some players that would provide a lot of value to the Tour.”