Rory McIlroy is in New Delhi for the 2026 DP World India Championship, the penultimate event of the DP World Tour's regular season. But aside from hitting the golf course in a new pair of baggy pants, McIlroy stopped by the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi for a public sit-down chat about golf and business.
Naturally, they discussed the most prominent topic in that space: LIV Golf.
LIV is experiencing an exodus of players after losing financial backing from the Saudi Public Investment Fund and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The league's best player, Jon Rahm, has already said via his lawyer that he won't be a part of LIV moving forward. David Puig and Abraham Ancer are also leaving, while other stars like Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann
have been rumored, though not confirmed, to follow suit.
"LIV had probably half of a good idea that was executed pretty poorly," McIlroy said during the Bloomberg forum. "They had a lot of capital, but I think a lot of that capital was wasted in some ways, and I think they could've used that money a lot more strategically. They could've partnered with some of the governing bodies of the game. They certainly could've done better things with it, instead of just enriching tour pros that were already making a lot of money."
Asked if he would vote to welcome former LIV golfers back to the PGA Tour, McIlroy said, "Yes, I would. I think a rising tide lifts all boats, and I think having some of these players back is beneficial for the business of the Tours, absolutely."
Speaking at the @Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi, Rory says that LIV had "half of a good idea" and explains what he had to lose in the process (which led to him -- and Tiger -- being so against it). Says he would personally vote to allow LIV players back on the PGA Tour. pic.twitter.com/UPeoekaoGZ
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) October 13, 2026
McIlroy has never bothered to keep his feelings about LIV Golf secret since this whole saga began, often making public comments about his disdain for the breakaway circuit.
"Tiger and I, at the very start, back in 2022 when this whole thing kicked off, we were certainly the two that were maybe the most vocal against it, but we were probably the two that had the most to lose, as well, in terms of our stature within the PGA Tour," McIlroy said. "So, yes, I think we both felt that this wasn't good for the game and that this was going to fracture the game."
McIlroy went on to say that he and Woods were frustrated with the timing of LIV Golf's launch because it coincided with the duo's inception of the TGL. In order to compete in the TGL, players had to be members of the PGA Tour, meaning they had lost the opportunity to bring aboard several top stars who had just left for LIV Golf.
"Everyone has different interests in the game, and you're trying to protect your interests, but you're also trying to protect the interests of the game as a whole," McIlroy said.
The opportunity to bring the players who left for LIV into the TGL wasn't the only thing McIlroy lost when the breakaway circuit started signing PGA Tour golfers. He said he also lost some friends.
"Certainly there are people that I played with on European Ryder Cup teams that I'm not as close with anymore," McIlroy said. "Yes, did we have a difference of opinion on the future of golf, but I don't think that's something to lose friends over. We just didn't see each other anymore. They didn't play the same tournaments, they weren't eligible for the Ryder Cup, they weren't qualifying for the major championships. You don't live in the same places as these people and you lose touch."
But regardless of his personal feelings toward LIV and the players who jumped aboard its ship ― one that seems to be sinking after just four years ― McIlroy isn't opposed to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour tossing them a lifeline. After all, it'd be good for business. That said, he understands his opinion may not be shared by his many of his peers who likely turned down millions of dollars from LIV to stay with the PGA Tour.
"I think the thing that people have to realize is that both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour are both membership organizations, and the leadership of both those organizations need to go to the members and say to them, 'OK, what would you like to see?'" McIlroy said.
"On one hand, I'm sure some members that stayed loyal would feel hard done by if these guys can just walk straight back in, but then on the other side, having these players back on your tour is very good for business. That can drive revenues up and then everyone can benefit from that. So, there's certainly is a balance there."
McIlroy also announced via social media on Tuesday that he has signed a deal with DP World to become the "Global Golf Ambassador" for the logistics company.
McIlroy will play alongside Robert MacIntyre and defending champion Tommy Fleetwood for the first two rounds of the DP World India Championship this week. The threesome will tee off at 7:15 a.m. local time Thursday, which is 9:45 p.m. ET Wednesday night in the U.S.
Nick Stavas is a digital producer and commerce writer for Golfweek. Follow him on X/Twitter (@nickstavas).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Rory McIlroy says 'yes' to bringing some LIV Golf players back to the PGA Tour
