In summary

  • The DP World Tour's deadline for LIV players to decide their 2027 plans could benefit fields at the Australian Open and PGA.
  • Rory McIlroy says he would support LIV players returning to the PGA Tour, arguing it would be "good for business".
  • McIlroy believes it would be "very difficult" for LIV to recover from bankruptcy after misusing the $5 billion PIF investment.

The fields at the Australian Open and PGA could be the beneficiaries of the DP World Tour's deadline for LIV players to decide where they want to play in 2027.

As the number of players looking to get out of LIV continues to grow, Rory McIlroy declared he'd support their potential return to the PGA Tour declaring that having the best players back together would be "good for business".

But more immediately the door has been opened for any LIV players contemplating their future to play in the Australian Open and PGA given both events are co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour and victories would earn playing rights. 

The Australian Open also offers a spot in both the Open Championship and the Masters, further carrots to dangle in front of LIV players who face an increasingly grim future. 

“We've had a number of them (LIV players) playing in our events over the recent years. The winner of the Australian PGA last year, David Puig is one. So there's going to be a strong contingent of those players playing again this summer," Nick Dastey, the tournament director for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia told Golf Australia Magazine.  

"That's not necessarily on the back of the announcement from the DP World Tour.

"Players have got a sense of what they need to do. There's multiples of those guys that are actually going through DP World Tour Q-school. 

"Other players like Caleb Surratt have been here before too. He a super talented player, came down and played the Australian Open last year and played well and loved it.

"Guys like that will continue to come down. So there's a bunch of those players trying to earn their way onto the DP World Tour at the moment through invites, so it's a good time to attract some of those players."

McIlroy, in India for the Indian Open told the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi he believed it would be "very difficult" for LIV to to recover from bankruptcy as players continue to follow superstar Jon Rahm out the door.  

He said those in charge of the start-up misused the $5 billion invested by the Saudi Public Investment Fund and what was "half a good idea" was ruined because of that. 

“They had a lot of capital, but I think a lot of that capital was wasted in some ways," he said.

“They could have used that money a lot more strategically and they could have partnered with some of the governing bodies with the game.

“They certainly could have done better things with it instead of just enriching tour pros that were already making a lot of money.”

Caleb Surratt played at Royal Melbourne last year. . (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)
McIlroy was one the most vocal critics of LIV when it first emerged and poached major champions on nine-figure contracts. But he said much of his angst was derived from how it impacted his own business interests, including the formation of the TGL indoor league with Tiger Woods. 
 
He said players he would have liked to be involved in that moved to LIV, but that his stance had now softened and with a similar business-minded view said a return to the PGA Tour should at least be a discussion. 

“I’m sure some members who stayed loyal would feel hard done by if these guys can just walk straight back in,” he said.

“But on the other side, having these players back on the tour is good for business, and it can drive revenues up.

“Everyone can benefit from that.

“I would (vote to allow them back). A rising tide lifts all boats, and I think having some of these players back is beneficial for the business of the tours."
 
LIV players have been given until November 16 to decide whether to apply for DP World Tour membership.
 
Also in India Anirban Lahiri, who plays on the Crushers GC LIV team with Bryson DeChambeau, said the situation was "dynamic" but he hoped to know what his future looked like soon. 
 
"I think my only message to everyone who is going to have questions regarding this is you have been patient so far. Just give it another month, month and a half, and everyone will know exactly what's happening one way or the other," he said. 

"LIV has been great for me and I've enjoyed it. Would I like for it to continue? Why not. But we don't have a crystal ball so let's see where it goes."