Tranlate this title Eddie Pepperell disagrees with Rory McIlroy over LIV Golf stars in spanish

Rory McIlroy has never hidden his feelings about LIV Golf, and the Northern Irishman again made his position clear as questions continue over the league’s future beyond 2026.

LIV is trying to move into a new era after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund decided to stop financing the circuit after this season. CEO Scott O’Neil says an agreement is in place with a new lead investor, but the deal still needs to be completed and player commitment is considered an important part of the process.

That has made the futures of stars such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm even more important. McIlroy was recently asked what value those players could bring if they eventually returned to the PGA Tour, and he responded by questioning what value they had brought to LIV in the first place.

The six-time major winner also warned that players who left for the rival league could face a difficult road back if LIV does not survive. His comments quickly produced reactions, and Eddie Pepperell is the latest golfer to disagree with him.

Pepperell says LIV’s players were never the real problem

Speaking on The Chipping Forecast, Pepperell made it clear that he does not accept McIlroy’s argument about the value of LIV’s biggest names.

“I think the players do have value,” Pepperell said.

The Englishman believes the league’s problems are more connected to the product itself than the golfers who signed contracts to play there.

“To me, the reason LIV has failed is not because the players don’t have value,” he explained.

Pepperell argued that the format, presentation and overall image of LIV made it difficult for the league to become successful regardless of the names involved.

He specifically used Rahm as an example. The Spaniard is a two-time major champion and one of the most recognizable players in golf, and Pepperell believes that value would be obvious if he was competing regularly on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.

“I think Jon Rahm has tremendous value in the environment of the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour,” he said.

In Pepperell’s view, LIV simply failed to create an environment where that star power translated into a product that enough golf fans wanted to follow every week.

He also acknowledged that the league has enjoyed successful events in some countries. LIV has attracted large crowds at several international stops, but Pepperell questioned whether the golf itself was always the main reason people attended, pointing to the concerts and entertainment that became part of the experience.

That distinction is central to his disagreement with McIlroy. Pepperell is not defending LIV as a league. In fact, he has been one of its loudest critics since the project began. What he is defending is the individual value of golfers such as Rahm, DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.

Pepperell has been critical of LIV for years

Pepperell’s latest comments do not represent a change in his overall opinion of the breakaway circuit.

The 35-year-old has repeatedly criticized LIV and some of the European players who joined it. His strongest frustration has often been directed toward experienced Ryder Cup figures such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia, who he believes damaged their reputations by leaving.

“Well, I think they’ve incurred massive reputational damage,” Pepperell said.

He also described that group as the players he had been “most disappointed in” because he viewed their decisions as opportunistic.

His criticism has extended to Phil Mickelson and the people who helped create LIV in its original form. Pepperell stressed that he still respects what those players achieved during their careers, but believes they had an opportunity to make a different decision when professional golf was being divided.

McIlroy’s latest remarks have also been challenged by Westwood. The former world No. 1 called them “typical” and argued they were not well thought out, pointing to the fact that LIV golfers continue to receive invitations to major events and remain attractive to promoters.

Scottie Scheffler has taken a more measured position. He has said that having the best players competing together would make the PGA Tour stronger, although he also believes there should be consequences for those who chose to leave.

For LIV, the argument about player value has become especially important because its next phase may depend on keeping enough of those recognizable names. O’Neil has acknowledged that player buy-in is critical as the league tries to finalize its new investment agreement.

Pepperell may remain critical of LIV, but on this issue his message is simple: the stars were not the main failure. In his view, the league had valuable golfers and failed to build the right product around them.