LIV Golf Files for Bankruptcy With Star Players Owed Millions

LIV Golf, a professional golf league that competed with the PGA Tour, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey on Tuesday, September 8. The league started in 2022 and was funded by Saudi Arabia's government investment fund. Filing for bankruptcy does not mean LIV Golf is shutting down — instead, the league plans to use the process to reorganize its finances and keep playing.

The bankruptcy filing gave the public a rare look at LIV Golf's money situation. The league has between $100 million and $500 million in assets, but owes between $500 million and $1 billion to others. That means LIV Golf owes far more than it owns, which is why it needed to file for bankruptcy protection.

Some of the most famous golfers in the world are listed as creditors, meaning LIV Golf still owes them money. Jon Rahm of Spain is owed the most at $7.5 million. Bryson DeChambeau is next at $5.7 million, followed by Dustin Johnson at $5.5 million, Cameron Smith of Australia at $4.8 million, Tyrrell Hatton of England at $3.4 million, and Brooks Koepka at $1.7 million. Koepka had already left the league at the start of 2026.

LIV Golf was created in 2022 with money from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is a large government-run organization that invests money around the world. This year, the fund decided to stop supporting LIV Golf, which put the league in serious financial trouble. Without that money coming in, LIV could no longer pay all of its bills and debts.

LIV Golf's CEO, Scott O'Neil, wrote a letter to fans explaining what is happening. He said the bankruptcy process gives the league time to deal with its old financial problems and find a new plan to move forward. He called it an important step toward building a stronger future for the league.

O'Neil also shared some of LIV Golf's plans going forward. The league wants to keep holding events in popular countries like Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Hong Kong, and England, as well as in the United States. He said LIV Golf's future will focus on team golf and giving players a chance to share in the money the league makes.

To help with the restructuring process, LIV Golf has an agreement with a company called BC Partners Advisors. A restructuring means working out a new plan to pay debts and run the business differently. If the plan works, LIV Golf hopes to come back stronger and keep competing as a professional golf league for years to come.