LIV Golf’s future is shrouded in uncertainty, but we didn’t think we’d have to wonder what Bryson DeChambeau might do.
The tour is bankrupt, and a number of its biggest stars are expected to leave, including Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann. But as one of the league’s biggest supporters, it looked like DeChambeau would stay.
Advertisement
He’s been directly involved in efforts to bring in a new investor after the Saudi Public Investment Fund withdrew support from the league this year. DeChambeau appeared to be integral to LIV Golf’s future plans.
But a recent report has revealed that DeChambeau’s mind is not actually made up, and he is considering leaving LIV Golf in what would be a seismic move.
Bryson DeChambeau privately considering leaving LIV Golf
This season was the final year of DeChambeau’s LIV Golf contract, and he’s been exploring options all year. He was seen speaking to PGA Tour officials at The Masters and he openly said he was considering doing content creation full time next year, but DeChambeau appeared to have settled on staying on LIV next season.
Advertisement
However, as the clock ticks down to decision time, the two-time US Open winner appears to be getting cold feet. That’s what Alan Shipnuck reported to Dan Rapaport on Dan on Golf.
The golf insider said, “The clock is ticking. The way that the deal is structured means that they can’t fart around. At some point, the rubber is going to meet the road here soon, the way that BC Partners has structured it. Players have to commit, deals have to be consummated.
“We are going to know sooner rather than later if LIV 2.0 is a thing. It’s still a coin flip. As we have been saying for a long time, I think Bryson is going back and forth. I have talked to someone very close to Bryson, and he said ‘he’s totally in’ and then the next day he said ‘never mind, I might have got this wrong’.
“Bryson is an up-and-down personality at the best of times, and there is a lot at stake here for his life and career. I don’t think he knows what he is going to do, so therefore nobody knows what is going to happen. But thank God we are going to have an answer in the next few weeks.
Advertisement
“It has been four and a half years where LIV has hijacked everything, and we all need some certainty in our lives, not just Bryson. I am looking forward to a resolution one way or another.”
DeChambeau leaving LIV would send shockwaves around the golfing world, and would likely mark the end of the tour as we know it. We’ll wait with bated breath over the next few weeks to get more certainty on this matter.
One star player expected to remain on LIV Golf next season
Shipnuck is expecting a mass exodus from LIV Golf over the coming weeks. When pressed to predict how many of the big names would stay on the tour, he could only guarantee one.
Advertisement
Rapaport asked Shipnuck how many of Rahm, DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Niemann and Tyrell Hatton would remain on LIV, he answered, “Cam Smith. He is the only one who I would say is in, unless the deals gets sweetened.
“Who knows about Bryson. I’d say the over/under is 1.5 on that group. I think Cam is committed. I think Rahm is gone. I think Niemann likes LIV and it’s been great for him, but he still has a lot of fire in his belly and he wants to conquer the world so I think he has gone.
“Hatton is a wildcard. If he could play a lot of DP events and get into the majors, maybe he would throw in with LIV just to be contrarian, but I think he is a go-with-the-flow guy. He has played at a high level even during his LIV stint.”
If that really is the case, it would totally reshape golf’s landscape for next season. LIV Golf as we know it could be over.
Read the full article here