Bryson DeChambeau is facing an uncertain future now that LIV Golf is shutting down, and one of his biggest rivals isn’t feeling too sorry for him. Rory McIlroy was asked about DeChambeau potentially joining the DP World Tour this week, and he couldn’t resist taking a jab.
McIlroy acknowledged that DeChambeau would bring “eyeballs” to the European circuit. But he also said that he would never want to be in DeChambeau’s shoes, adding that the two-time major winner doesn’t seem to have “many options” left.
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LIV Golf officially announced that it is ending after abandoning plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leaving its players searching for a new home. Jon Rahm, the league’s other biggest star, has already moved on and plans to play a European schedule in 2027.
DeChambeau’s path is more complicated. The PGA Tour bans LIV players for one year after their last appearance, and he was among the players who sued the tour after leaving in 2022. He has also said that he’d love to grow his YouTube channel after LIV.
“I’m not going to rewrite the last four years,” DeChambeau wrote in his first comments after the league’s collapse, via the Associated Press.
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McIlroy and DeChambeau have a long history. DeChambeau beat McIlroy for the 2024 U.S. Open title, and McIlroy got revenge by beating him in the final round at Augusta on his way to the 2025 Masters. And at The Open this summer, McIlroy openly said that he’s “not particularly fond” of DeChambeau.
Speaking ahead of this week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, McIlroy was asked about the possibility of DeChambeau joining the European tour.
“Yeah, look, I think a name like Bryson DeChambeau and everything he brings with him, good and bad, he brings eyeballs, which is a good thing for tournaments,” McIlroy said, via GOLF.com.
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He then added a not-so-subtle jab.
“And honestly, look, I’m certainly not in his shoes, and nor would I ever want to be, but it doesn’t seem like he’s got many options. You know, if he wants to play competitive golf, it doesn’t seem like he’s got many options,” McIlroy said.
DeChambeau is scheduled to play the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa next month. Beyond that, his future remains up in the air.
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