Report: LIV Golf's $88m man set to exit as player exodus gathers pace

Joaquin Niemann has decided that his future lies away from LIV Golf, according to a report.

Handicap54 is reporting the Chilean golfer, 27, wants no part of LIV's new era. 

Niemann quit the PGA Tour for the rival league in August 2022, six months after he earned his second title on the North American circuit at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles. 

He has become LIV's most successful player on the course, winning nine individual titles and racking up a whopping $88,272,724 in prize money. 

But despite all his obvious talent, Niemann has failed to breakthrough in the four men's majors. 

His potential exit would represent another significant blow for LIV, which is currently in process of trying to restructure after the withdrawal of the multi-billion dollar backing of Saudi Arabia's PIF. 

Niemann's reported decision comes as the DP World Tour offered LIV players a brutal ultimatum ahead of the 2027 campaign. 

Guy Kinnings, the chief executive of the European-based circuit, told BBC Sport that players who sign up to what is being dubbed as "LIV Golf 2.0" will not have membership next year. 

Kinnings said players "must make a choice" and those who are not willing to abide by their rules and regulations "should not be seeking to join our tour". 

The decision represented a significant departure from how the DP World Tour has handled LIV players in the past.

In previous years, conditional releases were struck with some top players - including Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton - enabling them to play on both the DP World Tour and LIV.

However, players will be asked to disclose which tours they intend to play on for next year, and their answer will be taken into account when deciding on their membership.

Niemann is now likely to take up membership with the DP World Tour in 2027, with the aim of returning to the PGA Tour when their new two-tier structure is rolled out. 

Niemann has remained tight-lipped about his future plans in recent months but he did offer a glimpse into what he was thinking two weeks ago during an interview with La Tacerna. 

He told the publication that the decision by the Saudi PIF to withdraw their financial support was "somewhat predictable" due to conflicts in the Middle East.

But he was adamant that he was yet to make up his mind. 

"And the truth is that I'm still undecided about what I'm going to do," he said.  

"Whether I want to stay and believe in what the league has, or play more in Europe and from there try to get back onto the PGA Tour.

"Those are my two options in the end. I'll have to make a decision within a couple of weeks."

Which players are leaving LIV Golf?

GolfMagic is currently tracking which players are leaving LIV Golf and who is set to stay.

As things stand, two-time major champion Jon Rahm is the highest-profile player to confirm he will not remain with LIV. 

Rahm's lawyer said the Spaniard had reviewed LIV's terms for 2027 and deemed them "unacceptable". 

His management team are now negotiating the terms for his official exit, with the player reportedly still owed tens of millions of dollars from the contract he penned in December 2023. 

Poland's Adrian Meronk, Spain's David Puig and Mexico's Abraham Ancer are also set to depart. 

England's Richard Bland, 53, says he will remain with LIV. 

Phil Mickelson's teammate, Cameron Tringale, has also said he has no plans to try and return to the PGA Tour.