Rory McIlroy Sounds Alarm Over Bryson DeChambeau’s Golfing Future: ‘Doesn’t Seem Like He’s Got Many Options’

For four years, Bryson DeChambeau believed he could build his career outside golf’s traditional tours. But after LIV Golf’s collapse, Rory McIlroy thinks the American has very few options left.

Asked about DeChambeau in Dubai on Tuesday, six days before his deadline to decide on DP World Tour membership, McIlroy said:

“Yeah, look, 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. 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 until November 16 to accept DP World Tour membership, and he qualifies for Category 1 membership because he won the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst.

If he misses the deadline, he may have to depend on sponsor invitations or find a way to return to the PGA Tour early. He is already set to play in next month’s Nedbank Golf Challenge as an invitee.

His position was different last month. His management had asked the DP World Tour about playing more events. However, he was not believed to be interested in becoming a member. DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings also ruled out membership in both leagues. He said players who were not willing to follow the tour’s rules “should not be seeking to join our tour.”

This rule could become important if LIV Golf returns in a new form. Under Kinnings’ policy for 2027, players who join a relaunched LIV league cannot become DP World Tour members. This could also affect their chances of playing in the Ryder Cup.

DP World Tour membership matters because it gives players access to regular events and a route to compete for major opportunities. It is also a requirement for players hoping to qualify for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

The 2027 Ryder Cup qualification process will give eligible DP World Tour members a chance to earn points through their performances. The top six players will qualify automatically, while the captain will choose the remaining six. DeChambeau is American, so he cannot play for Europe. However, the membership rules are important for European players who have joined LIV Golf. Without DP World Tour membership, they could lose their route to the European Ryder Cup team.

DeChambeau also has limited options in the United States. He could face a 12-month ban starting from his last LIV event. However, the exact start date has not been confirmed. He could face further punishment.

He had a chance earlier. The PGA Tour offered a returning-member exemption in early 2026 to LIV players who had won a major or The Players Championship since 2022, a group that included DeChambeau. Brooks Koepka was the only one to take it.

McIlroy’s comments were not hostile. On November 4 in Abu Dhabi, he backed Kinnings’ account of the rules for returning LIV players. He also said the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were close to a new agreement covering their relationship after 2027.

The “eyeballs” remark fits that. A tour that has lost its biggest names to a breakaway league has a reason to want a draw like DeChambeau, even on its own terms.

Today’s Golfer framed the choice as touring golfer or YouTube golfer, a path DeChambeau has flirted with in the past. Nobody has tried it as a full-time alternative to a tour, and McIlroy did not mention it.

His own statement on November 8 left things open. He wrote: “Beyond that, I’ll go about whatever is next the right way.” 

It did not name a tour. The Financial Times reports that BC Partners is still working on a LIV successor, though that would conflict with DP World Tour membership under Kinnings’ policy.

McIlroy’s attention is elsewhere this week. He trails Eugenio Chacarra by 533.93 points in the Race to Dubai and is chasing a record-equalling eighth title. His comment on DeChambeau was an aside in a press conference about that chase.

The decision itself is due Monday. If DeChambeau takes up membership, McIlroy’s “eyeballs” will show up at DP World Tour events. If he doesn’t, the question is what competitive golf looks like for a two-time U.S. Open champion with few tours to play on.

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