LIV Golf has filed for bankruptcy protection after its Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew funding, leaving top stars like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau free to leave the tour. The rebel circuit filed a Chapter 11 petition on Tuesday to "preserve the company's business," according to officials, with BC Partners set to act as its new investor roughly five months after the PIF pulled its funding in April.
The tour is aiming to launch a new majority player-owned league in 2027, but current players are believed to be under no obligation to remain. Contracts under the previous structure will finish, with funds owed to players and other creditors to be decided through the court process, according to the BBC.
Millions owed to top stars
Documents uploaded online show Jon Rahm holds the highest unsecured claim, believed to be around £5.5 million. Dustin Johnson is owed just over £4 million, while Tyrrell Hatton has nearly £2.5 million owed to him. Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith are also among those with millions owed.
When asked about his future, Rahm replied: "Yes and no. It hasn't really changed from my last interview in Indianapolis a few weeks ago. And there's just a lot of things in place, right? There's a lot of things that could happen and it's one of those things where time's gonna tell."
Asked if he wants a pathway back to the PGA Tour, he added: "Well, you know, I still have a contract with LIV 1.0 that I'm more than willing to fulfill. So, like I said, time will tell." Rahm previously rejected the Returning Member Program, which Brooks Koepka used to rejoin the PGA Tour, and could also return via the DP World Tour.
Players weigh options
DeChambeau, a two-time US Open winner, has defended the tour even after the Saudi backers withdrew. Johnson said of the new investor meeting at LIV Indianapolis: "Unfortunately, I was not there. I flew up yesterday afternoon, and I was out practising. I mean, from what I know, it's going great. I think there's a lot of things, but, you know, I think it's moving in the right direction."
Hatton noted in August he has "several years" on his LIV deal, adding: "I would expect there to be LIV next season. I know they've worked really hard to get the funding stuff in place and its full steam ahead on that front." Smith has already said he would return to the PGA Tour if LIV ended, stating: "I mean, if it was the only option, I think that's where everyone would want to be for sure, 100%. It would go back to old times."
Sergio Garcia, who did not renew his DP World Tour card this year, has said he wants to regain it in 2027. After appearing at the BMW International Open in Munich in July, he said: "Yes, I'm going to play a little bit. I'm going to play probably four more, counting [BMW International Open]. It's obviously something that I've always said that I wanted to do and I'm trying to do the best I can there. Obviously, at 46, I can't play 30 events a year, but I'm going to make an effort to see if I can at least play a handful and try to do my best there."
