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Rory McIlroy delivered a scathing assessment of LIV Golf's prospects of ever bouncing back from being abandoned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The sovereign wealth fund confirmed its decision to withdraw financial support for the league beyond the conclusion of this season.

While LIV chief executive Scott O'Neill expressed confidence that the league still has a viable future,the Northern Irish golfer voiced his scepticism given the multi-billion pound losses accumulated over its four years in existence. Speaking at the Truist Championship on Friday, the 36-year-old said: "They're going to go and try and find alternative investment, whatever that may look like.

"But when one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds in the world thinks that you're too expensive for them, that sort of says something." The six-time major champion has long been a critic of the rival tour, which has proved a considerable talking point throughout the latter years of his career. From remarking on reported approaches from LIV to losing close friendships over defections, the golfer has weathered no shortage of controversy surrounding the circuit.

Together with Tiger Woods, McIlroy was the most prominent golf star to resist the lure of Saudi riches and remain on the PGA Tour. Unwavering in his stance, the reigning Masters champion publicly dismissed reports that he had been offered $850million (£623m) and an equity stake in LIV. Speaking in 2024, McIlroy told the Golf Channel: "I honestly don't know how these things get started. I've never been offered a number from LIV, and I've never contemplated going to LIV. Again, I think I've made it clear over the past two years that I don't think it's something for me.

"It doesn't mean that I judge people who have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I have realised over the past two years is that people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that? But personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it's never been any different."

McIlroy's fierce early resistance to LIV was such that Sergio Garcia's defection to the breakaway series caused a significant rift between the two. The former team-mates, who had represented Team Europe together at five Ryder Cup tournaments, eventually patched up their differences at the US Open in 2023.

Following the announcement of the now-defunct merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF, the former Masters champion expressed his delight at being able to consider McIlroy a friend once more. The Spaniard said: "I wish this would have happened a year and a half ago. To give you an example - it wasn't because of the merger, but the US Open was a great event for me.

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"I feel like I played well, but more than anything because I gained a friend back, a friend that I kind of felt like I lost in the last year or so. We talked and we had a great conversation, and I feel like I have that friend back and that to me means a lot."

Garcia confessed he had been keen to mend his relationship with the 36-year-old but had held back. He explained: "I had been thinking about [rekindling the friendship] for a while but I wasn't totally sure. But then I saw that reaction from him and it kind of gave me the incentive to get closer and we had a great chat.

"I think that at the end of the day, the important thing is that we got together and talked; we were two friends that wanted to get back to that spot. Like I said, no doubt it was the saddest part of all of this, these friendships turning sour."

Amid the growing doubts surrounding LIV's future, Bryson DeChambeau struck a confident tone regarding his plans going forward, suggesting he would likely turn his attention to his YouTube channel and concentrate on competing in the four majors should the league collapse.

McIlroy acknowledged he had been "too judgmental" towards those who defected to the Saudi-backed circuit, while raising questions over the level of competition for players opting out of the PGA Tour. In what could be interpreted as a veiled dig at the two-time major winner, the world No. 2 remarked: "I was probably too judgemental with the guys that went because I was seeing it from my point of view.

"And again, I'm not going to judge anyone for not wanting to play on the PGA Tour. But if you want to be the most competitive golfer you can be, this is the place to be. And if you don't want to play here, I think that says something about you."