By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Suresh Rajcoomar/Fullview.
LIV Golf filed for bankruptcy protection, a dramatic fall for the Saudi-backed league that had big ambitions to challenge the supremacy of the PGA Tour.
The league said in a press release it remains in “advanced discussions” with players to take control of the business.
A Chapter 11 petition, which LIV says is to “preserve the company’s business”, was filed in the United States on Tuesday, 08 September 2026.
The breakaway league says it has found a new investor in BC Partners, following the decision in April by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to pull its funding.
LIV Golf intends to commence its new majority player-owned league early next year and it is understood the Chapter 11 process allows it to start talking to players about their participation in LIV’s future.
“The people of LIV Golf, led by the players, have continued to show incredible resilience, commitment, and a shared belief in what we are building. Thanks to their tireless work, LIV Golf has created a foundation to entertain and inspire the next generation of global golf fans around the world, “said LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil in a statement to Fullview.
“This process gives us the structure and time to pursue a landmark transaction and begin the next chapter of LIV Golf – one built around the fans, an innovative, player-first ownership model, and a part of the global golf ecosystem. We are excited about what lies ahead and yet, there is still much to accomplish in the months ahead. We believe deeply in LIV Golf’s future, the opportunity in front of us, and the people who will help us realize it.
We are grateful to our players, the incredible team at LIV Golf, our Board, BC Partners, and our partners all over the world standing tall with us, and we thank them for their belief in our next chapter. A special thank you to Ducera Partners who drove this investment process. We will not rest until we deliver on LIV Golf’s full potential.”
Fullview also learnt that there is no obligation on players to sign on to LIV 2.0, regardless of whether they had previously signed multi-year contracts with LIV Golf.
Sources have said contracts under the previous iteration of LIV Golf will finish because of this court filing, with amounts owed to players and other creditors addressed through the court process.
However, it remains unclear when players would then be able to enter discussions with other tours.
Since LIV’s controversial launch in 2021, more than $5bn (£3.7bn) has been spent by PIF, with major winners including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau lured by lucrative contracts and vast prize money.
However, the future of the concept – and its star players – has been shrouded in uncertainty, with the 2026 season having ended early.