As LIV Golf prepares for its first tournament since the news that it will no longer be funded by the Saudi PIF after this season, questions continue to swirl about what will happen to the league and its players.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil spoke at length Tuesday at Trump National DC about a business plan, momentum and strategic changes ahead. Although, as Jon Rahm noted, O’Neil and other LIV executives “they have a lot of work to do” to secure funds for the future.
Rahm said Tuesday that he has there are a few years left in his contract. But as for LIV’s most prized possession, Bryson DeChambeau? He’s only signed through the end of 2026. What he does next is a major story, not just for LIV’s long-term health, but for the future of the pro golf landscape.
He already has ideas if he doesn’t return to LIV or if his path back to the PGA Tour doesn’t pan out.
“I think, from my perspective, I’d like to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe more,” DeChambeau told several media outlets, including ESPN AND ANDon Tuesday. His YouTube channel has 2.7 million subscribers. “I’d love to. I’d like to do a bunch of dubs in different languages, giving the world more reasons to watch YouTube. And then I’d like to play tournaments that love me.”
DeChambeau told them he had conversations with the PGA Tour, but did not discuss what a return might look like.
Brooks Koepka went from LIV to the PGA Tour earlier this year through the Returning Member Program, but paid a steep price to do so. DeChambeau — along with Rahm and Cameron Smith — also had a chance to return under the same circumstances, but declined. A potential path back to the PGA Tour is likely to be different now, especially since DeChambeau, unlike Koepka, was once embroiled in a lawsuit against the Tour.
But despite LIV’s uncertain future, DeChambeau said the PGA Tour is “not even doing well.”
“Let’s be honest about the situation,” he told reporters. “They’ve got the media. They’ve got everybody on the side helping to get it up. But they’re downsizing the fields, cutting employees and restructuring their business as well.”
O’Neil was asked Tuesday how DeChambeau’s contract situation (whether he has one or not) affects next year’s funding efforts.
“Well, that’s an interesting question,” he said. “I’m not sure. We’ll work it out and work it out. I appreciate the question. It’s just Bryson’s special. He’s different and special. You want to talk about a business partner, we’re literally talking about the future of LIV Golf, I’m talking to him about how he sees, not just golf, but the business. He’s smart, he’s dedicated, he’s a running partner.”
DeChambeau said GOLF.com he sees LIV’s current uncertainty as an opportunity.
“Every time one door closes, another one opens,” he said. “I don’t think if a door closes, you’re closed forever. For us, that’s the opportunity we have in this country and also internationally, the freedom and opportunity to build businesses. If it’s restructured the right way, and people see the value of team golf and want to be part of something special, I think there’s opportunity there.”
