Rory McIlroy says he no longer believes professional golf is headed toward reunification — and he thinks LIV Golf players who want Ryder Cup eligibility should accept the consequences that come with their decisions.
Speaking to reporters following the Dubai Desert Classic pro-am at Emirates Golf Club, McIlroy offered his most candid assessment yet of the fractured state of the men’s game. Nearly three years after the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s financiers announced a framework agreement, McIlroy admitted he struggles to envision a future where the rival circuits truly come back together.
“I think it matters; I’d say that’s Solution A,” McIlroy said when asked whether reunification still holds importance. “But I just don’t see a world where it can happen at this point.”
According to the reigning Masters champion, the gulf between the various tours has simply grown too wide.
“I don’t see a scenario where two or three sides give up enough,” McIlroy said. “For reunification to happen, every side would feel like they lost — and ideally, everyone should feel like they won. I just think they’re too far apart now.”
McIlroy suggested LIV Golf and other emerging tours have survived the most turbulent phase of the split, even as player movement continues. LIV has added names like Thomas Detry and Ben An, while Brooks Koepka recently returned to the PGA Tour under CEO Brian Rolapp’s new Returning Member Program.
While full reunification feels unrealistic to McIlroy, he did outline a middle ground: more frequent opportunities for fans to see the best players compete against one another. For the first time, he put a number on it.
“In my opinion, golf would be better served if the best players in the world played together more often,” McIlroy said. “Right now, that really only happens at the majors. I’d like to see it be closer to 10 times a year instead of four.”
Currently, those shared stages are largely limited to the four major championships and select DP World Tour events — with the Ryder Cup remaining another key intersection point. But that biennial event has become complicated for Europe, particularly regarding Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
Both players joined LIV Golf in 2024 and have since accumulated significant fines for competing in events that conflict with DP World Tour regulations. Tour officials confirmed that the combined penalties total several million dollars. While both players appealed the sanctions — allowing them to continue playing DP World Tour events in the interim — uncertainty lingers over their Ryder Cup eligibility.
Asked whether the situation could be resolved simply by paying the fines, McIlroy didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “That’s my opinion. We went really hard on the Americans about not being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we said we would pay to play Ryder Cups. There are two guys who can prove it.”
McIlroy also defended the DP World Tour’s stance, calling the sanctions fair and consistent.
“Any members’ organization has the right to uphold its rules and regulations,” he said. “We all sign a document every year agreeing to those rules. The players who chose LIV knew exactly what they were signing up for.”
Beyond the politics of golf’s divide, McIlroy also reflected on his own career as he begins his 2026 season in Dubai. Coming off what many consider the greatest year of his career — including victories at Pebble Beach, The Players Championship, the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, the Irish Open and the Ryder Cup — the World No. 2 is now focused on sustaining motivation.
“I need to show up with enthusiasm every single time,” McIlroy said. “Not because I’m obligated to be somewhere, but because I want to be there.”
After two decades of competing in Dubai, McIlroy admitted the grind can wear thin — but he’s rediscovered joy by simplifying his relationship with the game.
“I’ve found more joy in actually playing golf,” he said. “I spend more time on the course now than on the range. After 20 years, that makes all the difference.”
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