Bryson DeChambeau said Tuesday that he’s giving “all I can” to ensure that LIV Golf has a future beyond this year.
Speaking ahead of the LIV Golf event in Korea, the second event since the Saudi Public Investment Fund officially announced that it was ending its funding following the conclusion of this season, DeChambeau said that he still views the league’s prospects optimistically, specifically team golf, despite the loss of its deep-pocketed financial backers.
“We were surprised that they pulled out as quickly as they did. We didn’t really see that coming. But that’s OK. One door closes, another opens. I think that’s the way a lot of us are looking at it,” DeChambeau told reporters in Korea.
“I think we all have optimism that there is a business plan that makes sense for team golf. I’m very optimistic with the business plan of team golf compared to other models, in my opinion. ... I do see value in what team golf can provide not only worldwide but also in grass-rooting the game of golf. National support, team national support, city, local support, we grass-root ourselves there.
“We’ll see if investors like it or not. I’m giving all I can to make it happen, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t happen.”
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil is currently taking the product to market, with reports that he’s seeking $250 million in outside funding and projecting that the league could be profitable in two years – a stark departure from his previous statements that LIV would need another five to 10 years to get in the black. There’s also the possibility that the league could be downsized, to 10 international events with smaller purses.
In its current form, LIV is reportedly burning through $100 million per month, and the PIF’s investment is expected to reach more than $6 billion by the end of this season.
LIV’s long-term goal is to create 13 billion-dollar franchises, and the league is currently in the early stages of reviewing strategic options for team equity sales.
What becomes of LIV’s current roster of players remains to be seen, however. Though Jon Rahm said he doesn’t see “many ways out” of his current deal, DeChambeau’s initial LIV contract expires at the end of the year. He has already expressed his interest in returning to the league, but he also said if they can’t reach an agreement – and if the conditions to return to the PGA Tour are too severe – then he could potentially become a full-time content creator and only play the major championships.
DeChambeau has a pair of wins on LIV this season but has missed the cut in both majors this year – the first time he’s missed two major cuts since 2017. He said Tuesday that his focus remains on his game, even with so much uncertainty surrounding his short-term future.
“In the background, yeah, we’re trying to help where we can,” he said, “but ultimately, it’s up to the executives and everybody banding together. If we all band together, there’s an opportunity here. If not, it’s going to be a different day for all of us.”