The breakaway tour, bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to the tune of $5billion, announced its decision on the eve of McIlroy’s press conference for the penultimate DP World Tour event of the season in Abu Dhabi.
The world number two has never been a fan of LIV Golf, and while moving to 72 holes might help the rebel tour achieve recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking, he’s puzzled as to the real reasons behind the move.
“I think it’s a peculiar move because I think they could have got ranking points with three rounds,” McIlroy said at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where he arrives looking to stretch his lead at the top of the Race to Dubai and clinch a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy at next week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“I don’t think three rounds versus four rounds is what was holding them back.
“It certainly puts them more in line with traditional golf tournaments than what we’ve all done.
“It brings them back into not really being a destructor and sort of falling more in line with what everyone else does.
“But if that’s what they felt they needed to do to get the ranking points, I guess that’s what they had to do.”
LIV Golf’s big stars have plummeted in the rankings since making the move, though big performances in Major championships and other events around the world have allowed Bryson DeChambeau to improve from 27th to 23rd.
The majority have plummeted, however, with Cameron Smith falling from second to 310th, Jon Rahm from third to 71st, Dustin Johnson from 13th to 604th and Brooks Koepka from 19th to 229th.
Given that the current OWGR is based on the strength of the field, McIlroy doesn’t see how they can improve their lot.
“Yeah, I think what’s hard is you’ve got the LIV guys, and say potentially they get World Rankings, but because their strength of fields are going to be so weak because a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings because they have not had ranking points for so long, I don’t know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them,” McIlroy said.
“Yeah, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.”
As for McIlroy, it remains to be seen how he finishes off a brilliant 2025 season that brought him wins in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Players, the Masters, the Amgen Irish Open, as well as the Ryder Cup.
“I think about the last time I was in the UAE, which was the Desert Classic back in January, and everything that’s happened in between, yeah, it’s been an amazing year,” he said.
“I was saying earlier today, I love getting to this part of the world, starting in the UAE and finishing. With everything that’s happened with the Masters and The Player and Irish Open, Ryder Cup, everything, yeah, it would be a lovely way to finish the year.
“I’m excited to have another opportunity to win The Race to Dubai. I don’t think it’s going to be quite as comfortable as it has been the last couple of years, but I’m excited for that challenge. Yeah, I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks.”
McIlroy is being chased by England’s Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton, and he’s looking to win for the first time in Abu Dhabi, where he has had four runner-up finishes and five third places in 13 starts.
Most of those have come at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, though he was 12th at this week’s venue, Yas Links, in 2023 and tied third behind Paul Waring last year.
“I think it’s nine top threes but no wins,” he said. “I’d love to get my hands on that Falcon Trophy. Been close. I played well last year. Paul Waring was just a little bit better than all of us that week.
“Yeah, I’d love to get myself into contention. I’d love to give myself a chance here and give myself into an even better position going into Dubai next week, as well.”
McIlroy will play next month’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne before winding down for 2026, when he’s likely to play fewer events than this year, which will total 22 starts, plus the Ryder Cup.
“I think I’ll play the same amount of tournaments on the DP World Tour, if not more, but I’ve alluded to the fact that I’m going to play a little bit less just throughout the year,” he said.
“Really prioritise the major championships and a few of the other bigger events.
“But the world of golf does a really good job of keeping you – I describe it as keeping you on the hamster wheel. And sometimes it’s nice to get off that hamster wheel and do things your own way.
“Look, I’m not getting any younger. If I want to play competitively for another ten years like Justin Rose has, for example, I have to remember that I’m not 23 anymore and I can’t play that schedule forever.
“So I think to try to have the longevity that I want to have, I’m going to have to cut back my schedule a little bit over these next few years to make sure I stay injury-free and I play up until the point that I want to.”
As for Rose, The Telegraph has reported that the Englishman is about to declare himself unavailable for the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy at Adare Manor.
With Luke Donald leaning towards ending his tenure, the Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco, are the two most likely candidates to succeed him.
