Rory McIlroy baffled by LIV Golf decision as PGA Tour star disagrees with Jon Rahm

Rory McIlroy has offered his thoughts on LIV Golf's announcement that they will implement significant changes to their format ahead of the 2026 season. The Saudi-backed breakaway circuit, financed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has confirmed it will shift from a 54-hole to a 72-hole structure for the upcoming campaign.

The modification is believed to have been made in a bid for competitors on the LIV tour to secure ranking points within the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system. Since launching in 2022, LIV participants have been unable to accumulate ranking points from their tournaments.

McIlroy is currently gearing up to take part in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links, where he has now been questioned about LIV's proposed modifications, reports The Mirror.

"I think it's a peculiar move," McIlroy said during a press conference on Wednesday.

"I think they could have got ranking points with three rounds. I don't think three rounds versus four rounds is what was holding them back.

"It certainly puts them more in line with traditional golf tournaments than what we've all done.

"It brings them back into not really being a destructor and sort is of falling more in line with what everyone else does.

"But if that's what they felt they needed to do to get the ranking points, I guess that's what they had to do.

"I think what's hard is you've got the LIV guys, and say potentially they get World Rankings, but because their strength of fields are going to be so weak because a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings because they have not had ranking points for so long.

"I don't know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them. Yeah, it will be interesting to see how it plays out."

Nevertheless, Ryder Cup colleague and LIV Golf star Jon Rahm appears to hold a different opinion from McIlroy's stance.

Rahm recently outlined why the move will prove advantageous for everyone associated with the breakaway league.

"This is a win for the league, and the players," said Rahm. "LIV Golf is a player's league. We are competitors to the core and we want every opportunity to compete at the highest level and to perfect our craft.

"Moving to 72 holes is the logical next step that strengthens the competition, tests us more fully, and if the growing galleries from last season are any indication, delivers more of what the fans want."