Following a 2-under 70 in the opening round of the 2025 Dubai Desert Classic, Rory McIlroy addressed the announcement that Scott O’Neil had been appointed LIV Golf CEO. Having previously butted heads publicly with outgoing CEO and commissioner Greg Norman, McIlroy believes the move to the experienced O’Neil will prove to be a better leader for the 54-hole circuit.
“I saw Scott was confirmed,” McIlroy told reporters at the Dubai Desert Classic. “Scott was at our Showdown match in Vegas and obviously Greg was as well. Then Scott was at the first night of TGL. He has an amazing track record with what he has done in sports in terms of managing teams and groups of teams, ownership groups. He has got the right credentials to take over a sports league. I think for LIV it is probably a good move now they are established.”
LIV Golf started in the summer of 2022 and pitted McIlroy against many of his peers in what some dubbed “golf’s civil war.” The Northern Irishman was especially critical of Norman at times as he called for the Australian to “exit stage left” and to let the “adults” work on a resolution that very same year.
McIlroy’s tone has softened since the advent of LIV Golf; he now focuses not only on his game but also a possible resolution to golf’s fractured state. His new perspective also includes a fresh take on Norman and what the league’s first CEO was able to accomplish during his tenure.
“Greg took a lot of flack the first couple of years,” McIlroy continued. “He is probably one of the only guys in golf who could have taken on that role. He got it off the ground, and you have to commend him for that. Now it’s time for someone with a bit more experience to take over.
“I honestly don’t know what the future holds for them, but the move they are making, especially from an executive standpoint, it doesn’t look like they are going to go away anytime soon.”
While Norman will no longer serve as the league’s figurehead, he will remain with LIV Golf in some capacity, although what that entails is currently unknown. LIV Golf is set to embark on its fourth season beginning in early February. It will not only have a new shot caller in the CEO position, but it will have a new media partner as a multi-year agreement with FOX Sports was announced Thursday.
