Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland answers questions during a media conference prior to the BMW Championship 2026 at Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, Missouri, Wednesday. AFP-Yonhap World No. 2 Rory McIlroy questioned the value LIV Golf players would bring to the PGA Tour if they eventually return to the US-based circuit, saying their path back would be tough.McIlroy made the comments Wednesday at a news conference ahead of the 2026 BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri.“I would argue, have they brought value to LIV?” McIlroy said, questioning what LIV players would bring to the PGA Tour. “I think the PGA Tour’s in a really good spot.”McIlroy, a longtime critic of LIV Golf, also said players returning to the PGA Tour would not be welcomed immediately.“If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then maybe,” McIlroy said. “But that has sort of come and gone.”He added that the terms for players returning in the future would likely be less favorable than those offered to Brooks Koepka, who returned to the PGA Tour in January.“So, yeah, I would say it’s going to be a tough, tough road back,” McIlroy said.Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has provided billions of dollars in funding for LIV Golf since its launch, announced April 30 that it would no longer finance the league after spending close to $6 billion since its inception in June 2022.LIV CEO Scott O’Neil has said the league has an agreement in place with a lead investor to continue beyond this season. If LIV returns in 2027, it is expected to hold 10 events, with five in the United States and five at international sites. The league is also seeking to entice top players by offering them equity stakes.World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler took a more welcoming stance toward LIV players potentially returning to the PGA Tour, saying some of them would bring significant value to the circuit.“I think going forward, there obviously has to be some sort of penalties,” Scheffler said, while adding that he would like to compete against the best players in the world.Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour in January under a new program. He agreed to forfeit player equity shares for five years and was made ineligible for the $100 million FedEx Cup bonus program in 2026. He also agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation at the PGA Tour’s request.DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith were also eligible to return under the same program but declined.(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)