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Rory McIlroy says LIV and PGA Tour 'too far apart' to strike a deal

[January 21, 2026] DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have grown “too far apart” to form an alliance and bring a splintered sport back together.

“I just don’t see a world where it can happen at this point,” McIlroy said Wednesday at the Dubai Desert Classic on the European tour.

Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour from LIV has brought into sharper focus the fading hopes of any form of deal being struck by top officials on the two circuits.

Even U.S. President Donald Trump has gotten involved in negotiations at one point, but there’s no sign of a commercial partnership that was first mooted in 2023 when the tours announced a framework agreement.

To McIlroy, who was once one of the most outspoken critics of LIV before distancing himself from talks, it looks as far away as ever.

“Just I don’t see a world where the two or three sides or whoever it is will give up enough,” he said, in a reference to the involvement of the European tour in talks. “Like for reunification to happen, every side is going to feel like they will have lost, where you really want every side to feel like they have won.

“I think they are just too far apart for that to happen.”

McIlroy will be playing on the European tour for a second straight week, having finished tied for third at the Dubai Invitational on Sunday. He shared the lead at one stage in the final round but wound up two strokes back from winner Nacho Elvira.

The No. 2-ranked McIlroy said he is constantly shifting his expectations and goals after completing the career Grand Slam last year.

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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits off the first tee during the final round of Dubai Invitational golf tournament in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

For the Northern Irishman, it’s mostly about “finding joy in the process.”

“I think I need to show up at tournaments with enthusiasm every single time,” he said. “So playing in the places that I want to play, playing the tournaments I want to play. Not feeling like I’m at a tournament because I’m obligated or have to be there but because I want to be there.”

Asked what he still wanted to achieve in golf, McIlroy said: “Olympic medal. (British) Open at St. Andrews. Yeah, maybe like a U.S. Open at one of those like old, traditional golf courses — whether it’s Shinnecock this year or Winged Foot or Pebble Beach, (or) Merion.

“I would have told you two years ago,” he added, “if I won the Masters, it would have been great and I could have retired or whatever. But when you keep doing things, the goal posts keep moving, and you just keep finding new things that you want to do.”

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