Masters champion Rory McIlroy believes Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour signals the decline of LIV golf.
The five-time major champion’s quick return was widely welcomed by many top pros, less than a month after his contract with the Saudi Breakaway League ended a year early.
Following his departure, the PGA Tour was persuaded to rewrite the rules to include him within a certain penalty window and also allow big names like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cam Smith room to return.
McIlroy, who shot a 5-under 66 to take the lead at the Dubai Invitational in the first competitive round of the year, said this was indicative of his current state of play.
Rory McIlroy believes Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour signals the decline of LIV golf
You didn’t make any particularly big contracts this year, right? the Northern Irishman told the Daily Telegraph.
“They haven’t signed a player that changes direction and I don’t think they will.
“So they could re-sign Bryson for hundreds of millions of dollars, but even if they did, wouldn’t their product change?
“They end up paying for the exact same thing. And they lost Brooks.”
2023 US Open champion Windham Clark also welcomed Koepka’s return, but acknowledged his frustration with his past rejection of LIV.
“I personally really like Brooks and I think ultimately it’s a very good thing for the PGA Tour,” Clark said Wednesday on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. “But as a guy who had the opportunity to go to LIV, it’s also frustrating in a way to be able to have your cake and eat it too.
“I don’t know. It’s very heartbreaking. Because at the end of the day, I want what’s best for the PGA Tour, and I think if we can get players back, especially top players like Brooks, it’s only going to be good for the tour, and ultimately it’s going to be good for me. So, yeah, I mean, I don’t really know how I feel…”
“If you told me I could go for a year and a half and make a lot of money and then come back and play on tour, most people would have done it.”
McElroy gets off to a strong start in Dubai with new irons
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Highlights from the first round of the Dubai Invitational as Rory McIlroy leads at Dubai Creek Resort.
McIlroy switched from blades to cavity-back irons (the type most amateur golfers use for their forgiveness) for the new season, and was happy with the switch at Dubai Creek Resort.
“If I could get help, I would definitely take it. I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” he told Sky Sports.
“I’ve been playing a new golf ball this week, but overall I like what I saw at home and today was a good test of that and everything felt pretty good. Overall it was a good start to the year.”
McIlroy reached the turn at 5-under 31 and seemed to understand the new setup right away.
Starting at No. 10, he was inches from eagle, but he used a strong wedge on five par 4s, all of his approaches within 11 feet, and was on his way to making the first of seven birdies in 10 holes.
His only fault was missing short putts on 12th and 3rd. Even more frustration ensued as he hit a greenside bunker and was unable to escape from the sand, only to be able to return home with a par.
Play was halted midway through the day to pay tribute to young golfer Emanuele Galeppini, who was due to serve as junior captain at Dubai Creek this year, and the 39 others who died in a fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year’s Day.
Scotland’s Conoy Syme and Spain’s David Puig are one stroke behind, with England’s Matt Wallace in second with one eagle and six birdies in nine holes.
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