Rory McIlroy makes shock LIV Golf confession ahead of latest PGA Tour event

Rory McIlroy has held his hands up and admitted he and other PGA Tour stars would not be competing for a total prize pot of $20m at this week's Genesis Invitational - and other Signature Events on the schedule in 2025 - had LIV Golf not been formed. 

McIlroy, 35, went even further by claiming everyone needs to "get over it" where the emergence of LIV Golf is concerned in order for the professional game to move forwards in 2025 and beyond. 

"If people are butt hurt or have their feelings hurt because guys went or whatever, like who cares?" said McIlroy. 

The World No.3 was speaking to a pool of reporters ahead of this week's third Signature Event of the PGA Tour season where the winner walks away with a cheque for $4m. 

The Genesis Invitational, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, has been moved from its usual venue at Riviera CC to Torrey Pines South as a result of the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. 

Woods, 49, was hoping to compete in the event but he withdrew his name from the field earlier this week in order to process the recent sad passing of his mother Kultida. 

In a typically honest and frank Q&A with reporters ahead of the PGA Tour's latest event, McIlroy gave his latest thoughts on LIV Golf and how the PGA Tour's imminent deal with LIV Golf's bannkrollers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), could re-shape the landscape of professional golf. 

McIlroy openly admits that his bank balance in PGA Tour on-course earnings has soared dramatically over the last five years as a result of the formation of the LIV Golf League where players regularly compete for a first prize of $4m and total prize pots of $20m each week of the season. 

Since the emergence of LIV Golf, McIlroy has vaulted into a clear third place in PGA Tour career earnings on a current whopping $94.5m. 

The Northern Irishman is now just $2m away from moving past LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson into second place.

Woods remains out in front just a few cents short of $121m. 

Scroll down for McIlroy's comments...

The PGA Tour now operates very similar to LIV Golf in regards total prize pots for its Signature Events such as this week at the Genesis Invitational, and McIlroy is therefore thankful LIV Golf came along in the first place.

That's even despite him initially being highly critical of the Saudi-bankrolled league when it first started in the summer of 2022. 

McIlroy made several damning verdicts of LIV Golf three years ago because of the way it fragmented the men's professional game. 

Fast forward to 2025 and McIlroy has somewhat changed his tune for the better of his pocket. 

"Like for me, we've all done better from all of this," admitted McIlroy, who is seeking back-to-back tournament titles to start the PGA Tour season having won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this month. 

"Whether you stayed on the PGA Tour or you left, we have all benefited from this. 

"I've been on the record saying this a lot, like we're playing for a $20 million prize fund this week. That would have never happened if LIV hadn't have come around. 

"I think for the -- I think everyone's just got to get over it and we all have to say OK, this is the starting point and we move forward. 

"We don't look behind us, we don't look to the past. Whatever's happened has happened and it's been unfortunate, but reunification, how we all come back together and move forward, that's the best thing for everyone. 

"If people are butt hurt or have their feelings hurt because guys went or whatever, like who cares? Let's move forward together and let's just try to get this thing going again and do what's best for the game."

McIlroy added: "I look at what I made in 2019 before LIV came around and I look at what I've made after LIV came around and it's very different.

"Like I don't know what to say, I earn more money now than I did in 2019 and if LIV hadn't have come around, I don't know if I would have been able to say that."

McIlroy was then asked by one reporter to talk about his change in stance on all things LIV Golf in 2025. 

"No, I didn't feel that way [positive] initially because of the fracture that -- like it wasn't good for the game, it wasn't good for the overall game," continued the four-time major champion. 

"It wasn't good for either tour, I didn't think. I think we're both sort of like this has been great for the major championships. 

"We all get together at the major championships and that's been a really good thing, but for both tours it's unsustainable, it's unsustainable. I think that's where, yeah, I was opposed to a lot of it. 

"I was opposed to 54 holes, I was opposed to the team concept in some way, but when you sort of remove yourself from it a little bit and you look at the overall picture, like we've all done better because of this. 

"The players on the PGA Tour had more leverage than they ever had to go to the Tour to say we want this, we want that or whatever. But at the same time I regret some of those decisions too because it put the Tour in a place where they were stretched financially and they sort of had to look at taking money from elsewhere to try to compete. 

"But like it's all easy in hindsight, it's all very easy in hindsight to say these things, but I think we are closer to getting a resolution and hopefully we can all just move forward."

As for the apparent imminent PGA Tour / PIF deal and how it could change the landsape of professional golf as we know it today, McIlroy is still not personally keen to get involved with LIV Golf League events should he be required to do that. 

When asked by a reporter "does there have to be some crossover to play over there [LIV Golf] there do you think?', McIlroy replied sternly: "I hope not."

McIlroy would have no issue with a number of LIV Golf stars coming back to play on the PGA Tour though. 

"There are guys that were on the PGA Tour that went to play on LIV and if they still have status, sure, come back, come back and play," said McIlroy.

"Like for us, they've all got equity in this tour. Having Bryson DeChambeau come back and play on this tour is good."

He added: "I think he should have the ability to earn equity, but I think what we have been given equity in this tour as a, I guess, quote unquote, compen -- like for being loyal in some way or staying. 

"But I think these guys coming back, I think they should have the opportunity to earn equity, which I think will happen. 

"There's going to be these recurring equity grants every year so I think they should have the opportunity to earn it, but I don't think they should be given it right away."

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