Time is running out for LIV Golf to secure its future. But it’s not just players the league needs to worry about – its most popular tournament is under threat, too…
The problems facing LIV Golf have deepened after it emerged the host venue of its most successful event was taking the stricken league to court.
Kooyonga Golf Club, the new course set to stage LIV Golf Adelaide in 2027, has filed a motion in the US bankruptcy court, setting a deadline for LIV to meet its tournament obligations.
LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month as the league attempts to restructure in its bid for survival. But time is quickly running out for the league, which needs signatures of commitment from top players to secure the funding it requires from private-equity firm BC Partners.
So far, no players have officially committed to LIV’s ‘2.0’ era. And now it’s not just the likes of Ripper GC captain Cam Smith demanding answers from the league’s bosses, but venues too.
While officials at Valderrama, the league’s most famous course, told TG last week that they would require clarity by the end of this year on whether they will stage a tournament, Kooyonga Golf Club is now demanding official confirmation by November 6.
“We have taken the step of filing a motion seeking these protections because under Chapter 11, a company can otherwise take a long time to decide whether to continue with its existing agreements,” read a letter sent by Kooyanga members.
“Our motion is a normal part of the Chapter 11 process, which places the burden on counterparties to file such motions to protect their interests.”
Kooyonga Golf Club, which hosted the 2026 Women’s Australian Open, was set to be the new venue for LIV Golf Adelaide. (Getty Images)
LIV’s tournaments in Adelaide are one of the league’s indisputable success stories, with more than 100,000 fans attending this year’s event at The Grange.
But doubts are increasing over whether Kooyanga get the opportunity to take over the hosting duties, with South Australian Treasurer, Tom Koutsantonis, revealing it is “unlikely” a 2027 event will go ahead.
Koutsantonis added: “I’ll just reassure taxpayers that we don’t pay anything to LIV in advance. We only pay once the tournament has been successfully staged, so we pay in arrears.
“So, if the tournament doesn’t go ahead, we won’t be paying anything, so taxpayers are protected. Kooyonga is right to be asking these questions of LIV about whether it will be staged, what would it look like, who’s coming.
“These are questions that LIV have to answer, and look, we understand that, but the government is working very hard to make sure that we’ve got a replacement with the Australian Open, men and women coming over the next six years to South Australia, so that’s a good outcome to replace LIV.
“But in the end, this is a matter for LIV, and LIV have to answer these questions to Kooyonga.”