Rory McIlroy says Abu Dhabi's reward is worth any risk and backs Kinnings on LIV

Rory McIlroy spent his pre-tournament press conference at Yas Links on Wednesday brushing off security worries about playing in the UAE. He also sided with DP World Tour chief Guy Kinnings on LIV Golf. The Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship starts Thursday, and it opens the two-event finish that decides the Race to Dubai.

"The reward is worth it"

The tour has posted evacuation notices at the venue, and players and caddies got a safety briefing before the week started. If UAE authorities send a phone alert, an air horn sounds and play stops. Eleven of the top 70 in the standings chose to skip the event.

McIlroy, who used to live in the UAE, said he isn't one of the worried ones. "I don't think I would ever feel unsafe," he said. "Even if something were to happen, I still wouldn't feel unsafe. The UAE has great defence systems."

His only concern was getting stuck if the airspace closed, as happened to people earlier in the year. He said he kept asking the tour questions and trusts its talks with local authorities. He added: "I don't feel like there's any risk coming here but if I did feel like there was a risk, I feel like the reward is worth it."

Backing Kinnings on LIV

Kinnings told The Scotsman this week that one of LIV's aims was to "destroy the DP World Tour," and used that to explain the tour's ban on players who commit to LIV's 2027 season. McIlroy went further.

"Yeah, I agree with Guy. It did. Verbatim," he said, according to Bunkered. "They were going around at Augusta this year telling people that that's what they wanted to do." He called it ironic that LIV was talking about cooperation a week later. Golfweek also quoted him saying LIV "took players" and "took sponsors" and "turned professional golf into an arms race."

McIlroy said LIV created "a false economy" in men's golf and that a reset is coming. He also said a new agreement between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour is progressing and could be done in the next few weeks.

What's at stake on the course

McIlroy is chasing an eighth Race to Dubai title, which would tie Colin Montgomerie's record. He trails Patrick Reed by about 300 points and leader Eugenio Chacarra by about 1,000, per Bunkered, with Abu Dhabi and Dubai left.

What to watch

Round 1 is Thursday at Yas Links. Keep an eye on how far McIlroy closes the gap on Reed and Chacarra before Dubai, and on any word from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour on their next deal.