Ahead of his title defence in Korea this week, Bryson DeChambeau outlined his hopes for LIV Golf’s uncertain future…
It’s all hands on deck right now at the embattled LIV Golf League. Crucially, though, it seems Bryson DeChambeau is right on board.
The two-times US Open champion says he is “giving all I can” to support the league’s survival efforts as it wrestles for new financial partners without the multi-billion dollar backing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Ahead of the latest LIV stop in Korea – where DeChambeau is defending champion – the American was asked to reflect on PIF’s sudden withdrawal at the end of the 2026 season.
“We were surprised that they pulled out as quickly as they did,” DeChambeau said. “We didn’t really see that coming. But that’s okay. One door closes, another opens. I think that’s the way a lot of us are looking at it.
“We all have optimism that there is a business plan that makes sense for team golf. I’d quite honestly actually – how do I say it? I’m very optimistic with the business plan of team golf compared to other models, in my opinion.”
TG understands that LIV has only a matter of weeks after its final event of the season in Michigan to gain alternate funding for 2027. Several of their players have offered financial leads to chief executive Scott O’Neil, who is approaching investors with a new business plan. DeChambeau, the captain of Crushers GC, one of the league’s most successful franchises, has faith that he can help sell LIV’s unique team model as an attractive proposition to prospective investors.
“Other models have worked, as well, so I’m not going to say that one is better than the other,” he said. “But 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. There are a couple ideas that we have – quite a few ideas that we have that could be interesting.
“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.”
Uncertainty clouds the future of both DeChambeau and LIV but he certainly struck a positive tone before this week’s event in Korea – the eighth event of LIV’s season. DeChambeau has only months left on his contract and admitted last week that he was unsure whether to continue playing tournament golf or only focus on content creation between majors.
It is a remarkable dilemma, but DeChambeau certainly seems serious about the prospect of channelling all his energy into growing his online audience while coveting the game’s biggest trophies. His 2024 US Open win earned him a 10-year exemption, while DeChambeau is into the Masters and the PGA Championship through until 2029. He is currently qualified for The Open, meanwhile, until Royal Lytham in 2028.
As DeChambeau weighs up his future plans, he continues to be a source of speculation and conjecture. He was told by a reporter during his press conference on Tuesday that people now seem fixated on everything the 32-year-old says.
“Oh, literally,” he replied. “It’s the funniest thing ever. I respect everybody that says that I’m the worst thing for golf or I’m the best thing for golf. It’s okay.
“The reality is I’m so focused on what I can do for the game that somebody saying something online or to me personally in my face is not going to distract me from the mission that I have.
“When people are saying these things about me, I know my mission. I know what I’m here to do. Sometimes it’s tough to see, but sometimes it’s an inspiration for me. Fuels positive fire in my stomach.
“I think people love to say something and you have to respect that. I think everybody’s opinion is valid. All I can do is continue to be the best every single day that I can, whether I win tournaments out here, I win majors or don’t win majors or finish dead last out here. It doesn’t matter to me, as long as I’m working as hard as I can and giving as much as I can, that’s all that really matters.”