LIV Golf agrees potential $300m financing as player talks are extended

LIV Golf has secured an agreement for potential financing of $300m from BC Partners Credit as it seeks to return for the 2027 season, BBC Sport reported. The funding remains conditional on bankruptcy court approval and other customary requirements, with uncertainty continuing over both the money needed to restart competition and the players who would take part.

The agreement also gives the league more time to negotiate with its players, extending those discussions until 25 October. According to BBC Sport, players are not required to join the restructured competition, even if they previously agreed multi-year LIV contracts. Current and former participants are among the creditors seeking unpaid money, and the funding announcement does not resolve who will commit to the next season.

LIV entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September after Saudi Arabia withdrew its multibillion-dollar backing. The league hopes to complete its court-supervised restructuring in early 2027. Its 2026 season ended ahead of schedule, leaving the competition's future unsettled after years of spending on player recruitment and tournament prize funds.

BC Partners Credit said its financing would support a revised model in which players hold equity in both the league and their teams. Ted Goldthorpe, the firm's partner and head of credit, said the aim was to help LIV leave restructuring with stronger finances before the 2027 season. LIV chief executive Scott O'Neil described the agreement as progress while acknowledging that further work remained.

The bankruptcy petition lists substantial unpaid claims from prominent golfers. Jon Rahm has the largest unsecured claim among the 30 biggest unsecured creditors, at $7.5m. Bryson DeChambeau is listed at $5.7m, Dustin Johnson at $5.5m, Cameron Smith at $4.8m and Tyrrell Hatton at $3.4m. Brooks Koepka, who returned to the PGA Tour in January, has a $1.7m unsecured claim.

Together, the 14 current and former LIV players on that list are owed slightly more than $45m. A source familiar with the figures told BBC Sport those entries cover unpaid amounts for the third quarter of 2026, rather than the full sums owed. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is separately providing a $49.6m bankruptcy loan to support the restructuring process.