LIV Golf Files for US Bankruptcy Protection as Tour Seeks New Investors

LIV Golf has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States as the breakaway circuit tries to secure new investment and reshape its operations. The filing was announced Tuesday, according to reporting by Agence France-Presse published by The Guardian.

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Chief executive Scott O'Neil said the process would give LIV the structure and time needed to pursue a major transaction and move into its next phase. The organisation has already laid off most of its staff this month, underlining the financial pressure surrounding a tour that entered professional golf in 2022 with significant spending and high-profile player recruitment.

The Guardian reported that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund had spent an estimated $5 billion on LIV before ending its backing earlier this year. LIV is also seeking recognition of the US bankruptcy proceeding in England and Wales, a step intended to bring its international assets and operations within the restructuring process.

LIV says it still plans to return in a new form next year, but its statement stressed that no definitive decisions have been announced regarding the 2027 schedule or individual tournaments. Officials have discussed a shorter calendar and reduced prize money under a proposed new version of the competition, though those plans remain dependent on fresh investment and the outcome of the restructuring.

The future involvement of leading players is another unresolved issue. The tour said it remains in advanced discussions with players about a potential ownership structure designed to align their interests with LIV's longer-term plans. Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm are among the prominent names whose continued participation has not been confirmed.

The bankruptcy process marks a major turning point for a competition that disrupted elite men's golf after its launch. For now, LIV's proposed 2027 return, the shape of its events, its funding and its player roster all remain uncertain while the organisation searches for investors and works through proceedings in the United States and Britain. Further details will depend on the progress of that process.