McIlroy says PGA should be open to returns from LIV Golf

World number two Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland questions LIV Golf's ability to find new investors but says the PGA Tour should be open to players wanting to return (Jared C. Tilton)

(Jared C. Tilton/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)

World number two Rory McIlroy questions LIV Golf's ability to find new investors after Saudi backers pull out but said Friday the PGA Tour should be open to players wanting to return.

The reigning Masters champion, a six-time major winner from Northern Ireland, admitted there will be some "bridges to cross" in any comebacks.

McIlroy has long been a vocal LIV opponent and unhappy with PGA Tour players who jumped to $25 million events on the Saudi-backed series.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund, however, has announced it will stop funding LIV Golf at the end of the 2026 season, the rebel tour now seeking new investors to continue beyond a scheduled August finish.

"It doesn't mean that LIV is going to go away," McIlroy said of LIV's financial woes. "They're going to go and try and find alternative investment, whatever that may look like.

"But when one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds in the world thinks that you're too expensive for them, that sort of says something."

The PGA Tour offered a temporary path back for some LIV players and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka took advantage to make a return.

LIV's demise could send dozens of players in search of a PGA spot, including such major winners as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, who has indicated he wants to work more on his YouTube ventures.

"It's a question if they do want to come back," McIlroy said. "We've seen the quotes over the last few days and it seems like some of the guys -- again, it all depends on what happens to LIV.

"But if it is a scenario where they have the option to come back and play on the traditional tours, (PGA Tour chief executive) Brian Rolapp has said anything that makes this tour stronger, anything that makes the DP World Tour stronger, I think everyone should be open to that. That's just good business practice.