LIV Golf faces fresh uncertainty as insiders reveal worrying player stance

Despite LIV Golf appearing to receive a major boost this week after CEO Scott O'Neil confirmed the league has signed a term sheet with a board-approved lead investor to fund the circuit beyond 2026, fresh reports suggest the breakaway league's long-term future remains far from certain.

According to social media golf account Flushing It, insiders believe "a significant number" of LIV Golf players have little intention of committing to the league beyond this season, despite being asked to signal their support as negotiations over new investment continue.

Flushing It reported on X after Thursday's first round of LIV Golf New York that players were sent equity offers and non-binding Indications of Interest documents several weeks ago, but that many had yet to return them.

Following Wednesday's announcement that LIV Golf is in advanced discussions with a new lead investor, sources claim players have again been encouraged to submit the paperwork, with future funding understood to depend on securing commitments from the league's biggest stars.

"It’s unclear how many will commit to the future of the league, but insiders expect a significant number not to," Flushing It posted. 

"There will soon be a much clearer picture of who is and is not committed to LIV Golf 2.0."

Read Flushing It's post in full here:

The latest claims from Flushing It cast fresh doubt over what initially appeared to be a significant step forward for LIV Golf after O'Neil confirmed on Wednesday that the league had agreed a term sheet with a lead investor and hopes to finalise a deal by September.

O'Neil also confirmed how LIV will make its players "majority equity holders", calling it "a first for a major global sports league".

However, optimism surrounding that announcement has since been tempered by additional reports from the Financial Times, which revealed negotiations hinge on one crucial issue: retaining LIV Golf's marquee players once Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) officially ends its direct financial backing later this month.

While O'Neil may have given few details away about its new lead investor, Bloomberg has since reported that BC Partners' credit arm is currently leading a group of investors exploring a financing package for LIV Golf.

BC Partners' proposed investment is understood to be contingent on LIV Golf retaining enough of its biggest stars — particularly Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm — to ensure the league remains commercially viable beyond this season. 

Reports have also emerged that a number of LIV Golf players are still owed substantial guaranteed payments under contracts originally funded by the PIF, creating another significant hurdle in negotiations.

Monday Q Info has reported Rahm alone is still owed in the region of $150 million from the blockbuster contract he signed when joining LIV Golf in December 2023.

The Financial Times has since reported how the PIF is considering settling existing player contracts at discounted values in exchange for liability releases, allowing players to walk away from their current agreements before signing new deals under a BC Partners-backed ownership structure.

It's also understood LIV Golf has discussed a pre-packaged bankruptcy process that would allow the league to shed historic financial obligations before new investment is completed, making the business more attractive to incoming financiers.

Rahm and DeChambeau off to slow starts at LIV Golf New York

Rahm, widely regarded as the league's leading player, opened LIV Golf New York with a disappointing 1-over 72 at Trump National Bedminster on Thursday, while DeChambeau endured his worst round of the 2026 LIV Golf campaign, carding a lethargic 5-over 76 to leave himself well down the leaderboard.

Both Rahm and DeChambeau, who have both won on the league twice this season, are fighting out the Individual Championship with two weeks left of the season.

Frustration appeared to boil over for DeChambeau during his opening round when cameras caught the Crushers captain angrily launching a plastic bottle off the rim of a rubbish bin after having played his first four holes in 4-over par. 

Watch DeChambeau's temper tantrum here:

Whether the ongoing uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf's future played any part in the sluggish starts for Rahm and DeChambeau is impossible to know, but the timing was certainly notable given the intense speculation surrounding the league's future and player commitments. 

DeChambeau led a players' meeting at Trump National Bedminster on Tuesday, although few details emerged from that discussion other than it lasted approximately 30 minutes. 

Several LIV players described the atmosphere in the room as positive, but admitted there was still uncertainty surrounding future investment and even whether LIV Golf's season-ending Team Championship in Michigan will proceed as planned at the end of the month. 

Ben An joked "nobody was throwing fists or anything," while Richard Bland acknowledged there were still plenty of unanswered questions. 

With O'Neil targeting September to complete a funding agreement, the coming days and weeks promise to be among the most significant in LIV Golf's five-year history to date. 

If Flushing It's latest information proves accurate, then securing fresh investment may only be half the challenge. Convincing enough of the league's biggest stars to commit to LIV Golf's next chapter could ultimately determine whether those investment plans become reality.