European Tour CEO Says LIV Golf Sought to Destroy the Circuit

Guy Kinnings, the chief executive of the DP World Tour, stated on Tuesday that the primary objective of LIV Golf was to eliminate the European circuit. The tour is currently preparing to reintegrate many of the players who left for the Saudi-backed league over the past four years. Kinnings made these remarks while the breakaway organization navigates a financial restructuring.

LIV Golf is currently undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The league is attempting to survive with a scaled-down structure known as LIV 2.0. This new version will operate without direct investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. BC Partners Credit has pledged $300 million to support the organization through this transition.

The financial distress has led most of the league’s top professionals to quit. These players are planning to return to the established tours. Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Sergio Garcia are set to rejoin the DP World Tour. Other former LIV players are expected to become eligible for sponsor invites on the circuit.

Kinnings acknowledged a tension between regaining star power and addressing member concerns. Some tour members expressed frustration that players who left are returning after causing major disruption. Kinnings said the tour has a duty to protect its members from an entity that spent heavily to undermine them.

In an interview with The Scotsman, Kinnings cited a figure of over $7 billion spent by LIV Golf. He said he has heard from trusted industry figures, known to him for over 30 years, that the league’s aim was to destroy the DP World Tour. Kinnings said this history makes the current membership and invite policy for 2027 appear logical to him and his staff.

Rory McIlroy supported Kinnings’ assessment during the Abu Dhabi Championship on Wednesday. McIlroy, who has been critical of LIV Golf since its formation, said the league took players and sponsors and turned professional golf into an arms race. He claimed LIV executives visited Augusta National to discuss their intention to destroy the European tour.

McIlroy noted the irony in LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil’s current motto, complete, not compete. McIlroy said this approach differs from the league’s messaging earlier in the year. He argued that the desire of many players to return puts the DP World Tour in a strong position.

Kinnings admitted there is no perfect solution for welcoming back former LIV players, some of whom have made critical comments about the European tour. He said the process must be as fair and merit-based as possible. Kinnings emphasized that regardless of a player’s previous status, they must prove themselves within the tour’s system.

The CEO suggested that some invites for returning LIV players will target the tour’s smaller events. These tournaments are scheduled between February and August. This period coincides with the time when many top names compete on the PGA Tour.