McIlroy Backs Kinnings and Says LIV Turned Golf Into an 'Arms Race'

Rory McIlroy has thrown his full support behind DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings in the escalating row with LIV Golf, accusing the breakaway circuit of turning professional golf into an arms race. Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, ahead of the Tour's penultimate event, the six-time major winner said he agreed with everything Kinnings had said about LIV's impact. McIlroy claimed LIV took players and sponsors and went around Augusta saying it wanted to destroy the European Tour. Kinnings has made clear that players who join LIV Golf 2.0 will be barred from the DP World Tour in 2027, a firm shift after LIV eligibility had been allowed since 2022. The comments come as several former LIV players, including Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia, have broken away from the circuit. McIlroy, 37, is chasing an eighth Race to Dubai title that would tie Colin Montgomerie's record, and he arrives in Abu Dhabi third in the standings behind Eugenio Chacarra and Patrick Reed. His words set the tone for a tense final stretch of the DP World Tour season.