April 20, 2026, 12:01 p.m. ET
Last week was the most tumultuous in the short history of LIV Golf, and its future is extra unsure now than ever earlier than.
After Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had introduced a technique shift in its funding, its startup golf league was left in limbo on whether or not its season would even proceed. LIV will certainly trudge ahead, receiving funding via the tip of the 2026 season in a choice that got here down to the wire, The Athletic reported Monday.
Jon Rahm, the league’s finest participant, won its event in Mexico City by six photographs, however the dialogue earlier than, throughout and after the occasion wasn’t about his win or the league saying a return to Chapultepec in 2027, furthermore whether or not LIV Golf will even exist sooner or later.
And Monday, The Athletic reported one other one of many league’s stars was additionally analyzing what was subsequent for his skilled profession. Bryson DeChambeau, who withdrew Sunday citing a wrist damage, reportedly met with a number of organizations through the Masters to talk about potential options if he chose to leave LIV. DeChambeau’s contract expires after this yr, and he has been mum on whether or not he’s going to re-sign or pursue one other avenue.
The report states DeChambeau’s asking value to re-sign is up to $500 million, which might be almost not possible for the league to present with out funding assist from the PIF. LIV has lost more than $5 billion since its inception in 2022, and now its primary monetary backer is completed after this yr.
CEO Scott O’Neil, in his second yr on the job, is persistent and assured he can discover funding so the league can proceed taking part in into 2027 and past, however it could have to accomplish that with out its largest star in DeChambeau.
The Athletic reported DeChambeau and O’Neil had been joking within the first fairway throughout Thursday’s opening spherical. But if his asking value is actually half a billion {dollars}, can the league afford to re-sign a participant that might hold its product the identical whereas risking if he would not re-sign, it is a loss LIV seemingly could not survive.
The Athletic additionally reported Rahm and DeChambeau had a prolonged dialogue on the placing inexperienced forward of Thursday’s first spherical, with almost a dozen different golfers distracted by the dialog. What the 2 mentioned throughout their non-public chat is unclear.
There are eight occasions left in LIV’s 2026 season, with its first within the U.S. set to happen May 7-10 in Virginia at Trump National. DeChambeau stated he hopes to tee it up if his wrist damage heals in time, however his future with LIV Golf, and the leagues itself, are up within the air.
