McIlroy says DeChambeau's move to the DP World Tour would bring 'eyeballs'

Rory McIlroy believes Bryson DeChambeau joining the DP World Tour next season would draw more attention to the tour. Speaking to reporters in Dubai, McIlroy said DeChambeau brings "eyeballs", a slang word for viewers, and that this is a good thing for tournaments.

The question over DeChambeau's future comes after the collapse of LIV Golf, the rival league that had signed many of the game's leading players. With that circuit gone, DeChambeau's competitive future is uncertain. McIlroy said DeChambeau does not seem to have many options if he wants to play competitive golf.

DeChambeau has said he will approach his next move with "humility and respect". He is able to apply for DP World Tour membership because he is a recent major champion. He won the 2024 US Open, beating McIlroy in that event.

Membership would also give DeChambeau a route back to his PGA Tour status for 2028. Players who leave the main American circuit have to earn their way back through results, so a season on a second tour could be a way to do that. Whether he applies, and how his schedule would look, has not been settled.

McIlroy was in Dubai ahead of the DP World Tour Championship, the season finale. He is chasing a record-equalling eighth season-long title, which goes to the player with the best points total across the whole year. Winning it would tie the mark for the most titles of its kind.

For fans, the practical question is simple. A player who has won a major and gone quiet for a while can still move onto a new tour, but he has to prove himself in its events. DeChambeau's next step will show whether that route works for him, and McIlroy's comments suggest the DP World Tour would welcome the attention that comes with it.