Rory McIlroy: DP World Tour To Benefit From LIV Golf Exit

Rory McIlroy at the Irish Open — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy predicts some players will leave LIV Golf following the team tour filing for bankruptcy, adding that the move could be good news for the DP World Tour in particular.

Ahead of the Amgen Irish Open, McIlroy was asked about a number of big topics, including LIV Golf, US President Donald Trump and whether future winners of this national open could earn a place in The Masters.

In order to get LIV Golf 2.0 off the ground, CEO Scott O'Neil and his company has entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in order to restructure and create a player-owned tour in 2027.

There's still plenty of work to be done on clearing current debts, while the likes of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are still owed big money on contracts that are now seemingly void.

So players are free to decide on their next move - sign up with LIV Golf 2.0 or focus on returning to one of the main tours, and McIlroy knows which one now looks more appealing.

"I'm not in their shoes but LIV at the start looked a lot more attractive than what LIV 2.0 might be from a financial standpoint," McIlroy said at Trump International Doonbeg.

"I'm not trying to predict the future but I would predict that you'll see some guys leave, as they are free to now as, I guess, contracts have been breached by them filing for bankruptcy."

DP World Tour in 'really good spot'

Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton

PGA Tour boss Brian Rolapp doesn't seem willing to roll out the red carpet even for the likes of Rahm or Bryson DeChambeau to return, but the DP World Tour is offering up places for LIV golfers to play.

And as the stellar field at the Irish Open shows, including nine LIV Golf stars teeing it up, this period of flux could provide Europe's main tour with a huge boost in star power.

"I think that means other tours have decisions to make," said McIlroy. "And obviously there's a lot of players on LIV that can strengthen golf tournaments and make them more competitive. So I would see that as a good thing for the DP World Tour.

"And I think the health of the DP World Tour is in a really good spot. They have a wonderful alliance with the PGA Tour. I think that alliance is only going to get stronger, especially with the PGA Tour committing to working with the DP World Tour for some of these international events at this time of the year going forward.

"So you have PGA Tour players really with nothing to do for five months in this period. If they are incorporated or whoever else is incorporated into these tournaments, that makes them more competitive.

"Overall, you know, I think with the way things are working out, it's a very good thing for the golf ecosystem. I think it only makes these tournaments stronger with more competitive players in them."

McIlroy welcomes Trump to Ireland

Donald Trump watching on and a view of his golf course at Doonbeg

McIlroy revealed that he played a part in bringing the Irish Open to Doonbeg, a tiny village on the west coast of Ireland that now welcomes some of golf's biggest names.

It will also welcome US President and resort owner Donald Trump, who is set to attend and may even hand over the trophy on Sunday.

"The President of the United States wants to come watch a little bit of golf. I think we are all happy to be here, grateful to be here," said McIlroy, who doesn't mind if Trump's appearance causes some extra security issues.

"His presence at the Irish Open makes it a truly international event. That brings more attention and eyeballs to The Irish Open, and it can only be a good thing."

And with the Irish Open now becoming such a high-profile event, McIlroy says he will step-up his campaigning to Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley about the winner getting a spot in the Masters.

"I spoke to chairman Ridley about this a lot and I really applaud their dedication to international golf and getting behind some of the international opens," said McIlroy.

"Obviously the Asia-Pacific Amateur, the Latin America Amateur Championship, they have done great jobs with them and to give these exemptions to these larger National Opens, I would certainly sit there and argue the Irish Open's case with Fred, all day.

"I think, hopefully, at some point, it's inevitable that that would become a reality."

TOPICS

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.