Report: LIV Golf in "late stage" negotiations with PGA Tour winner

LIV Golf are close to signing former Players Championship winner Si Woo Kim, according to a report. 

Per FlushingIt, the 30-year-old PGA Tour member is in late stage negotiations to join the Saudi Arabia-backed league for the 2026 season. 

The deal would see Kim join Kevin Na's IronHeads quartet, replacing the relegated Yubin Jang. 

The account has further reported that another high-profile South Korean PGA Tour member is also in advanced discussions. 

LIV Golf's fourth full season begins next February under the lights in Riyadh. 

As ever, there are 13 "regular season" events, along with a season-ending $50m team championship. 

Several teams needed replacements in the offseason after the league decided to enforce relegation for the first time since its launch. 

Former Open champion Henrik Stenson and multiple PGA Tour winner turned golf's yeti, Anthony Kim, were among those who finished in the drop zone. 

Andy Ogletree, Mito Pereira and Frederik Kjettrup were the other full-time LIV players that got relegated this season. 

Kjettrup, has already been replaced by three-time DP World Tour winner Victor Perez. 

Perez lost his PGA Tour card this year and it is assumed that it played a role in his decision to link up with Martin Kaymer, Richard Bland and Adrian Meronk on the Cleeks. 

Elsewhere, England's Laurie Canter decided to give up the opportunity of playing on the PGA Tour next season in favour of a return to the Majesticks. 

Canter, 36, earned duel membership on the DP World Tour and established North American circuit by virtue of his finish in the Race to Dubai. 

The golfer has teed it up in several LIV events as a reserve but will replace the aforementioned Stenson, linking up with Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sam Horsfield. 

In 2026, LIV will also welcome Scott Vincent back to the league and Japan's Yosuke Asaji. 

Both earned promotion to LIV Golf via the International Series' order of merit. 

LIV's "Promotions" event next January will also offer two exemptions to the league in 2026.

Kim has already confirmed he will be in the field, though Stenson has not indicated what he plans to do. 

Crucially, the Promotions event is being staged in the United States, meaning any PGA Tour members that participate will receive a ban as the circuit deems it "unauthorized". 

Will there be any more signings?

LIV Golf launched in June 2022 after recruiting several ageing stars and major champions. 

Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed were among those to put pen to paper first. 

Those players cost LIV's financiers a fortune and there was widespread belief that more PGA Tour stars would accept big-money offers. 

Jon Rahm joined LIV Golf in December 2023, nine months after winning his first Masters title but the league have been unable to add any real star power since then. 

Last week, LIV's chief executive, Scott O'Neil, did not rule out further additions but insisted that the future of the league relied on nurturing young talent and "not just buying them". 

Addressing LIV's aggressive spending, O'Neil told The Times of London: "Generally, we have the resources allocated that we need. 

"That's been clear since day one and I wouldn't be here if it weren't. 

"However, I believe that if we're going to build this league for the long term [there needs to be] a lot more focused effort on players earlier on in their careers. 

"To build a sustainable model we need to grow talent as much as bring in top stars."

O'Neil's comments came amid reports the aforementioned Koepka was considering sitting out the 2026 LIV Golf season. 

Citing sources, Sports Business Journal claimed Koepka may not play this season despite being under contract. 

Koepka has not commented and O'Neil wouldn't be drawn into speculation, saying only the five-time major winner is "signed for 2026".