Rory McIlroy warns Bryson DeChambeau is running out of 'options' after LIV Golf collapse
Rory McIlroy says Bryson DeChambeau would deliver a boost to the DP World Tour if he takes up membership -Credit:Richard Heathcote/Getty Images (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
DUBAI — Rory McIlroy says Bryson DeChambeau has not "got many options" and would never want to be "in his shoes" as a deadline to join the DP World Tour looms.
DeChambeau has been left homeless in professional golf after the collapse of LIV Golf, but the two-time major winner has a soft landing awaiting him on the DP World Tour, if he wants it. DeChambeau has the opportunity to take a Category 1 membership thanks to his 2024 U.S. Open victory at Pinehurst No. 2.
The deadline for players to take up membership is the close of play on Nov. 16, and DeChambeau has yet to confirm his intentions. If he allows the deadline to pass, he will have to rely on sponsors' invitations for the DP World Tour or cut a deal to make an early return to the PGA Tour.
• Jon Rahm opens up on the 'mental battles' he faced as LIV Golf collapsed before Abu Dhabi win
• Jon Rahm gives his immediate reaction to winning Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship after LIV Golf exit
McIlroy has made no secret of his dislike for DeChambeau, telling reporters at The Open Championship that he is "not particularly fond" of the American.
But the world No. 2 believes DeChambeau and his huge fanbase can deliver a boost to interest in the DP World Tour.
"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.
"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."
DeChambeau has just six days to decide if he wants to be a DP World Tour member -Credit:Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
DeChambeau will play on the DP World Tour as an invitee at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa next month. The event is hosted by friend Gary Player.
Beyond that, DeChambeau's next steps in the game are unclear. He has hinted in the past that he could place more focus on his efforts as a content creator, but he has also insisted he is committed to competing at the highest level.
In a statement issued on Sunday, he reflected on his time with LIV but provided little clarity on his intentions moving forward.
"I'm not going to rewrite the last four years. I made a decision I believed in, and I'm grateful for what came with it: playing in front of fans new and old around the world who rarely got to see the best players at home. The record crowds in Adelaide and Johannesburg will stick with me for the rest of my life.
"I believed this game could reach more people, in more places, in a new way. I still believe that. And I gave it everything I had to keep team golf alive.
"I want to say thank you to the people who believed in this from the start: the staff, the operations crews, the caddies, and everyone behind the scenes at LIV and Crushers GC who bet their careers on this. You gave everything. And thank you to my Crushers teammates, our sponsors, and every fan who came out.
"I still believe in team golf. It may look different in the future, but I still believe it's essential to growing the game. Arnold Palmer said no player is bigger than the game, and I want to acknowledge that, along the way, I've said some things that didn't help. Whatever comes next, I'll approach it with humility and respect for the people who carried this game long before me.
"In December, I'll compete at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player's event, in front of fans who made my first visit to South Africa unforgettable. Beyond that, I'll go about whatever is next the right way.
"My passion has been to grow this game. That's still the goal. Thank you for sticking with me. Together we can all grow this great game we love."
Source: Sports
