LIV Golf Files for Bankruptcy Protection in US

LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey, less than five years after launching its first tournament and triggering one of the biggest disruptions in professional golf.

The bankruptcy filing, made on Tuesday, places the Saudi-backed breakaway league into a court-supervised restructuring process while allowing it to continue operating.

Court documents show LIV Golf has estimated liabilities of between $500 million and $1 billion involving at least 1,000 creditors. Among those creditors are several of the league's biggest stars, who are owed millions of dollars in unsecured claims.

Spain's Jon Rahm has the largest claim among the players, at about $7.5 million. He is followed by Bryson DeChambeau with $5.7 million, Dustin Johnson with $5.5 million, Australia's Cameron Smith with $4.8 million and England's Tyrrell Hatton with $3.4 million.

Brooks Koepka, who left LIV Golf at the beginning of 2026, is also listed as a creditor with a claim of approximately $1.7 million.

The bankruptcy filing follows a period of major upheaval for LIV Golf. The league recently cut most of its staff and cancelled its season-ending team championship in August after losing the financial backing of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

The PIF had reportedly invested about $5 billion in LIV Golf since the league began in 2022 before withdrawing its support.

Under the restructuring arrangement, the PIF is expected to provide a loan of almost $50 million to help fund the bankruptcy process and the league's reorganisation.

Plans for LIV Golf 2.0

LIV Golf officials have stressed that the bankruptcy filing does not mean the league is shutting down.

Instead, the Chapter 11 process is intended to give the organisation time to restructure its finances, address outstanding obligations and secure new investment for a future version of the competition.

LIV chief executive Scott O'Neil told fans that the league was entering a new phase and said the restructuring was designed to create a more sustainable business.

The proposed next version of LIV Golf is expected to feature a shorter schedule and lower prize money, while placing greater emphasis on its team-based format.

O'Neil said LIV hoped to retain events in several of its established international markets, including Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Hong Kong and England. The league also intends to maintain a presence in the United States.

The future of LIV Golf could ultimately depend on whether some of its biggest players remain committed to the competition.

Several leading LIV players have reportedly been linked with possible returns to the PGA Tour or other professional circuits. However, the PGA Tour has indicated that it currently has no plans to create a pathway for LIV golfers to return.

The restructuring process has also brought British investment firm BC Partners into the organisation as a partner.

For LIV Golf, the bankruptcy filing marks a dramatic change from the enormous spending and expansion that characterised its early years. The league now faces the challenge of rebuilding around a smaller and potentially more commercially sustainable model while attempting to retain its star players and international audience.