Rory McIlroy has been known to take some sharp U-turns on his opinions over the last few years, particularly as it relates to the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. He was willing to state another position Wednesday as strong as any. He is not playing the PGA Tour Champions when he turns 50. “Absolutely not,” McIlroy said with a smile.

Scheffler and McIlory have both won the tournament in the past. McIlroy won The Players back in 2019, while Scheffler has won the last tournaments, with Schauffele finishing tied for second in 2024. Scheffler is the first player ever to win The Players in consecutive years, and is a favorite to win it for a third straight year.

McIlroy, who added that he still has plenty of things he hopes to accomplish in his golf career, has myriad interests outside of golf including as the co-founder of TGL and a growing business portfolio, which at least partially explains the 27-time Tour winner’s take on the over-50 circuit.

The season's "fifth major" gets underway this week as the best and brightest from the PGA Tour travel to TPC Sawgrass for the 2025 Players Championship. Representing the 51st playing of the event, this week at the famous Pete Dye design will test every aspect of one's game -- physically and mentally.

President Donald Trump admitted to playing golf with Rory McIlroy one week before his 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am win

McIlroy, who added that he still has plenty of things he hopes to accomplish in his golf career, has myriad interests outside of golf including as the co-founder of TGL and a growing business portfolio,

Credit Rory McIlroy, then, for spinning the conversation forward. McIlroy has taken plenty of shots at LIV Golf over the last three years, some of which he's had to walk back. But one element of LIV's strategy has struck a chord with McIlroy: the breakaway league's international focus.