Rory McIlroy expects LIV Golf’s bankruptcy to trigger player departures, with the DP World Tour positioned to benefit from an influx of elite talent.
Rory McIlroy believes LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing could trigger a significant player exodus, and he sees the DP World Tour as one of the biggest potential beneficiaries.
Speaking ahead of the Irish Open, McIlroy suggested LIV’s financial restructuring may give contracted players an opening to reassess their futures.
The league filed for Chapter 11 protection earlier this month with estimated liabilities between $500 million and $1 billion and several of its biggest stars listed among its largest unsecured creditors.
Jon Rahm is owed roughly $7.47 million, while Bryson DeChambeau is listed with a claim of about $5.77 million, according to bankruptcy filings.
McIlroy believes that uncertainty could change the equation for players who originally joined LIV because of its enormous guaranteed contracts.
“LIV at the start looked a lot more attractive than what LIV 2.0 might be from a financial standpoint,” McIlroy said.
He went further, predicting departures could be coming.
“I would predict that you'll see some guys leave.”
That could create a major opportunity for the DP World Tour.
Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Sergio Garcia, David Puig and other LIV players have maintained ties to European golf, and McIlroy believes stronger fields could make an already compelling portion of the DP World Tour calendar even better.
The Irish Open is followed by a strong run that includes the BMW PGA Championship, Open de France, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Open de España before the Race to Dubai concludes in the United Arab Emirates.
McIlroy said adding more elite players would be “a good thing for the DP World Tour,” particularly as its alliance with the PGA Tour continues to develop.
A direct return to the PGA Tour appears considerably more complicated.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Tuesday that the Tour is not currently planning another special re-entry program for LIV players.
Brooks Koepka previously returned through a limited program that came with substantial financial consequences, while other LIV stars did not take that route.
That leaves the DP World Tour as a potentially important bridge for players looking to rebuild their status.
McIlroy sees the broader golf calendar moving toward greater cooperation rather than continued isolation.
“Overall, with the way things are working out, it's a very good thing for the golf ecosystem.”
LIV insists it intends to emerge from bankruptcy and continue operating under a restructured model. The bigger question now is how many stars will still be there when it does.
