LIV Golf is facing its most uncertain moment since its 2021 launch. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is pulling its financial backing after the 2026 season. CEO Scott O’Neil is now racing to secure new investors while managing the contract situation of the league’s biggest star, Bryson DeChambeau.
O’Neil specifically said he would not call it a big announcement; he said roughly 10 days was when LIV would start talking with players about where things were heading.
LIV was founded in 2021 and began competition in 2022 as a direct rival to the PGA Tour, luring top players with lucrative contracts funded by Saudi PIF funding. It disrupted professional golf but never turned a profit, relying entirely on PIF to cover billions in losses. Now, with that lifeline ending, LIV must prove it can stand on its own or risk becoming one of the most expensive experiments in sports history.
O’Neil’s big announcement
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil confirmed that significant news is coming within ten days. He made these remarks at Trump National D.C. in Virginia while addressing the league’s financial situation directly. O’Neil said the league is funded through the remainder of the 2026 season. After that, he stated plainly, the focus shifts to building a business plan to keep operations going.
O’Neil acknowledged he has a specific funding target in mind but declined to share the number publicly. He did not disclose the nature of the upcoming announcements. He said the league is working with investment bank Ducera to run the capital-raising process. New ownership stakes and strategic partnerships are both reportedly being explored.
O’Neil’s survival plan
O’Neil stated that LIV doubled its revenue from 2024 to 2025. Ten of the league’s 13 teams are expected to turn a profit this season, and four of its tournaments are also projected to be profitable. Sponsorship and partnership revenue are reportedly surpassing half a billion dollars in 2025 alone. LIV says it has generated more than $1.5B in global economic impact to date.
IV is exploring minority stake sales in at least two teams. O’Neil’s pitch to investors centers on bringing elite competition to markets previously without access to top-level golf. He also floated the idea of blending LIV events with major national open championships around the world. His long-term goal is to turn each of LIV’s 13 franchises into billion-dollar businesses.
LIV’s most valuable asset
Bryson DeChambeau is a two-time major champion with five LIV wins and a contract expiring at the end of 2026. His Crushers GC franchise is one of the league’s most marketable properties. Earlier this year, DeChambeau rejected the PGA Tour’s reinstatement offer through its newly created returning member program. His decision to stay made his contract renewal the most important negotiation in LIV’s history.
O’Neil described DeChambeau as the most popular golfer on the planet, noting he is actively winning and committed to growing the sport internationally. LIV reportedly offered DeChambeau a new contract in fall 2025, but he felt the number did not reflect his value as a soon-to-be free agent. His contract status directly affects LIV’s ability to attract outside investors. DeChambeau has not formally confirmed any new deal.
Fun fact: LIV stands for the Roman numeral 54, the number of holes the league originally played. It kept the name even after switching to 72 holes in 2026.
DeChambeau to join investor meetings
DeChambeau agreed to join O’Neil in meetings with potential LIV investors. O’Neil confirmed that the two discussed this arrangement at Trump National D.C. He said DeChambeau will sit alongside him and representatives of Ducera Partners, as the league makes its case to prospective capital partners. O’Neil stated that DeChambeau’s participation would be a clear signal of where his future lies.
O’Neil said DeChambeau has specific opinions on how LIV should grow and is one of the best brand builders he has worked with across any sport. DeChambeau has also been pushing for junior golf events and team-based academies across the United States. These initiatives form part of his broader plan to expand LIV’s presence at the grassroots level. His involvement in investor meetings signals a business role beyond his duties as a player.
PGA Tour return rumors dismissed
Former ESPN host Trey Wingo reported that representatives for both DeChambeau and Jon Rahm had contacted the PGA Tour at its highest levels about a potential return. However, DeChambeau directly denied this in an interview with Flushing It Golf, calling the claims completely untrue. He said he is focused on finding a solution that keeps him on LIV beyond 2026 and dismissed concerns about any penalties he would face for a PGA Tour reinstatement.
Meanwhile, The Athletic also reported that DeChambeau had met with other organizations to discuss options if he left LIV at the contract’s end. Still, DeChambeau acknowledged those conversations but maintained that his priority is keeping LIV alive. He told Flushing It that as long as LIV exists, he will find a way to make his contract situation work. Furthermore, he added that he remains committed to making team golf succeed at the highest level.
How players are reacting
Jon Rahm leads the 2026 LIV standings after wins in Hong Kong and Mexico City. Unlike DeChambeau, Rahm has been preparing contingency plans in the event LIV cannot secure new funding. He settled his long-standing disputes with the DP World Tour and is now eligible to compete in those events. Rahm publicly stated that O’Neil and LIV executives “have a lot of hard work to do” to secure the league’s future.
O’Neil revealed that internal documents showed every major public critic of LIV had privately made an offer to play before he joined in January 2025. He did not name any individuals. He also noted that former LIV players Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have both already left the league. Their exits have reduced the overall depth of talent available to LIV as it tries to sell itself to new investors.
What comes next for LIV Golf
Every LIV tournament between now and the scheduled end of the season in August is part of an active survival effort. O’Neil has confirmed he has a funding number in mind and is in active negotiations with prospective investors. DeChambeau sees the current instability as an opportunity to build new businesses in the United States and internationally. His participation in investor meetings gives him a direct role in shaping LIV’s next phase.
The PGA Championship begins May 14, and several LIV players will be competing. The PGA Tour CEO has publicly addressed the possibility of LIV players returning if the league folds. McIlroy said he was not opposed to LIV players returning, but added that if players do not want to play on the PGA Tour, that “says something about you.” O’Neil’s promised announcements will either secure LIV’s future or confirm its collapse.
TL;DR
- LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil teased major announcements within ten days at Trump National D.C.
- LIV doubled its revenue from 2024 to 2025 and expects ten of thirteen teams to profit this year.
- Bryson DeChambeau agreed to join O’Neil in investor meetings alongside investment bank Ducera.
- DeChambeau denied PGA Tour return rumors and called the reports completely untrue.
- Jon Rahm settled disputes with the DP World Tour as a contingency plan if LIV folds.
- O’Neil revealed that every major public critic of LIV had privately made an offer to play on the tour.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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