McIlroy says DeChambeau has few options left after LIV collapse

Rory McIlroy has said Bryson DeChambeau appears to have limited alternatives for where he can continue playing professional golf, following the collapse of LIV Golf.

DeChambeau broke his silence on his future for the first time since LIV Golf's demise, saying he was still weighing up his next move, according to Golf Monthly.

The American faces a tight timeline. He is suspended by the PGA Tour for a year unless the rules change, but still holds a final year of eligibility for the DP World Tour thanks to his 2024 US Open victory.

Prospective members of the DP World Tour must sign up by 15 November, leaving DeChambeau little time to decide whether to commit to the European circuit.

He has previously suggested he could instead focus on his YouTube channel and restrict his playing schedule to the Majors if LIV Golf were to fold.

Speaking on the prospect of DeChambeau joining the DP World Tour, McIlroy acknowledged the attention the 33-year-old would bring to any event he entered.

"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," McIlroy said.

He added that he did not envy DeChambeau's position. "Honestly, 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," McIlroy said.

McIlroy went further on the lack of alternatives facing his former rival. "You know, if he wants to play competitive golf, it doesn't seem like he's got many options," he said.

DeChambeau beat McIlroy to the 2024 US Open title at Pinehurst, a result that still grants him the eligibility route onto the DP World Tour he may now need to use.

Golf Monthly reported that opinion is divided among some DP World Tour members over LIV Golf players potentially taking up places in the field.

McIlroy's comments came in the same week as the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, where he is bidding for an eighth Race to Dubai title.

According to Yahoo Sports, McIlroy trails Spain's Eugenio Chacarra by 534 points in the Race to Dubai standings heading into the event, with the winner on Sunday collecting a 2,000-point bonus.

A victory, or even a high finish, would move McIlroy closer to a fifth consecutive Race to Dubai crown, which would draw him level with Colin Montgomerie's record tally of titles.

Jon Rahm, who won in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, is also in contention for the Race to Dubai after his Ryder Cup teammate, with both players previously champions of the Jumeirah Golf Estates finale in 2024 and 2022 respectively.

Whether DeChambeau opts to sign up for the DP World Tour before the 15 November deadline remains to be confirmed, with his immediate playing future still unresolved.