LIV Golf’s 2027 is no more certain now than it was when the Saudi’s pulled funding months ago.
The tour has been scrambling to find new investors, but we’re in the midst of LIV’s final event of the season, and it’s still no clearer how the league will be funded next season.
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CEO Scott O’Neil has revealed a vague outline of what the tour could look like next year. He said “LIV 2.0” would have 10 events with massively reduced purse sizes compared to what they are offering this season.
Now players are left with the choice of sticking with LIV, whatever it may look like next year, or finding somewhere else to play their golf. But every player who leaves weakens the tour.
With that in mind, Dean Burmester revealed how LIV golfers may feel if players attempt to leave for the PGA Tour.
Photo by Jason Butler/Getty Images
How LIV golfers would feel if players leave the tour
Dean Burmester is one of the few players to make a public commitment to their 2027 plans. He said that he’s all in on LIV 2.0, whatever that may look like.
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Speaking at LIV Indianapolis, he said, “It’s definitely been an uncertain time the last few months, and that’s probably played on a lot of guys’ minds. But we had a great meeting with our investor this week, and I feel it went really well.
“The proposed LIV 2.0, whatever you want to call it, I think it’s very, very promising and it looks great. I think the model is certainly sustainable, very sustainable. I think it’s obviously beneficial from a player perspective because we will own a huge chunk of this league, and it’ll be the first player-owned league in the world of any sport, I think. I can’t think of any other sport where it is that way.
“The trickle-down effect of all of those things is going to do massive things all over the world and for people we can touch nearby, not only just us as South Africans and our bond but our foundation and what we’re trying to do back home with kids and trying to protect rhino and wildlife and things like that, it’s massive.
“It’s not just about golf; I think golf is just a part of life. All of this is way bigger than life, and it’s probably above my pay grade. But it was a really positive meeting, and long may it continue.”
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Burmester might be committed to LIV next season, but he doesn’t speak for the rest of the tour. The DP World Tour say they have had an increase in enquiries from LIV players asking if they can play there next year.
But Burmester said there will be no hard feelings if players decide to leave. He said, “I think everybody has the right to make their own decision. I think once you know the facts, then you can make an informed decision, and I don’t think — whether you’re on this side or that side, I don’t think anybody can think badly of anybody else.
“I think coming here, that certainly happened from that side, and a lot of guys got given a lot of stick for coming over here. I don’t think we’re going to do it to our own guys. If they want to go back, if certain people do want to go back, if that does happen, then that’s their decision and they can do it.
“But for me, I feel like I’ve got to focus on what I want to do and what I can do in the game of golf and the best thing I can do for my family. So that’s number one.”
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We saw this when Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed left the tour earlier this year. There were no hard feelings from any of the players, so it seems that we can take Burmester’s word on this one.
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