LIV Golf: What lies ahead for Bryson DeChambeau and co and what's next for the failed breakaway league?

LIV Golf appears to be over, with it announced this week that it will enter liquidation.

But how has it got to this point for the breakaway league that threw huge sums of money at the sport and played the role of major disruptor when it entered onto the scene five years ago.

What now for the big-name players that haven't yet announced their departure ahead of the ultimately doomed LIV 2.0? And what next for LIV itself?

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What has happened with LIV Golf?

LIV Golf's attempt to establish itself as a permanent rival to the PGA Tour has effectively come to an end as, on November 5, the league confirmed it would begin an orderly wind-down of its operations after failing to secure the financial backing needed to continue.

"The writing was on the wall from April of this year, when the Saudi Public Investment Fund [PIF] announced they'd be pulling the plug, that they wouldn't be investing in the tour any longer," Sky Sports News' Jamie Weir said.

"They came in with the intent to change the face of men's professional golf. £6bn of Saudi money has been pumped into it over the last four years and most of it has gone down the drain.

"You would have to say that, because they haven't made much of an impact - certainly not in terms of viewing figures."

LIV subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, with investment firm BC Partners emerging as a potential new backer, proposing a deal worth around $300m to help launch LIV 2.0.

However, that rescue plan collapsed amid a mass player exodus and the proposed investment was withdrawn. LIV has now moved towards liquidation rather than attempting to launch another season.

Where did it go wrong for LIV?

Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley believes LIV Golf was destined to fail from the very start, following the news of the former PIF-backed venture being wound down.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, McGinley said: "I think it was based on bad fundamentals, I think that was the main thing.

"LIV had an idea that team events was going to work in an individual sport that golf is. They also took on the might of America, but as Warren Buffet would say in business terms, 'don't bet against Uncle Sam'.

"They went head-to-head, toe-to-toe with corporate America, which is the backbone of the PGA Tour, and came out on the wrong side of that. They were incredibly strong and able to move the financial needle in order to stand toe-to-toe with the Saudis.

"Ultimately, LIV wasn't thought through well and it wasn't a great idea. It was a flawed business model with really bad advice that the Saudis got in terms of the power that they were taking on."

The Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee specifically pointed to October 12, and the DP World Tour's announcement that players who signed with LIV 2.0 wouldn't be allowed to play on the tour, as the beginning of the end for LIV.

Chamblee said: "When Guy Kennings [DP World Tour CEO] said what he did, that was the death knell strategically.

"He was saying, 'look, you don't get to have your cake and eat it too'. That is the big, significant moment in in ending LIV Golf.

"We're going to say it's November 5 when LIV died. But really, LIV died on October 12."

McGinley added to Sky Sports: "To be quite blunt and frank, they [LIV players] filled their pockets with money and had made enough they needed to make and now was an opportunity to come back in, join the ecosystem again, get back on the gravy train of the DP World Tour, along with the PGA Tour, back inside the fold and move forward.

"It's nothing more, nothing less than that.

"When it became about money and 'is this product [LIV 2.0] believable to go forward and make money?' they obviously decided no and in their heart of hearts they knew that was the case."

What next for Bryson DeChambeau?

Bryson DeChambeau has largely remained tight-lipped as LIV Golf's financial troubles have unfolded, even as several of his fellow professionals have begun exploring their options for an exit.

In May, he did comment on the matter, saying that he would focus on his YouTube channel if LIV Golf failed, picking that over a potential return to the PGA Tour, but there are rumours circling that the two-time US Open champion could be given special privileges to play on the DP World Tour going forward.

Sky Sports' Dame Laura Davies would love to see that happen. "I'm licking my chops. "Love him or hate him, you can't stop watching him.

"If you ever get the chance, watch the guy hit the ball. He's just a little bit different - a little bit like John Daly back in the day when he was different.

"Bryson's different, and so the DP World Tour could be adding a massive asset to their artillery, which is great."

What next for Phil Mickelson?

Mickelson was arguably the LIV's most significant signing in its early days. The six-time major champion's decision to join in 2022 was a major statement of intent.

Four years on, his future is one of the biggest question marks off the back of the league's collapse.

At 56 years old, Mickelson's best is long behind him - even when considering his remarkable 2021 PGA Championship success - and, thus far, he has not signalled his intent with regards to any future plans.

His relationship with the PGA Tour has been particularly complicated, given his involvement in the original push for LIV and the legal disputes that followed.

One possibility is that Mickelson focuses only on playing at major championships, where he can still compete through his existing exemptions where applicable.

Further complicating his future in the game, however, are allegations of misconduct made against him, with golf publication Skratch alleged earlier this year that he's is no longer welcome at three California golf clubs because of inappropriate behaviour towards women.

Mickelson denies the allegations, with his representatives calling the piece an "anonymously sourced drive-by shooting".

Mickelson played only one LIV tournament this year, in South Africa in March, missing the rest of their schedule to prioritise "a family health matter".

What about other LIV players? Will they be welcomed back?

"This is the great question. What happens to all those players? And it's complicated," Weir said.

"As far as the PGA Tour are concerned, they have been very consistent. They have said you need to serve a one-year suspension from your last LIV event before you're eligible to play in the PGA Tour again.

"That means it won't be until August 2027 that any of these players are eligible to even play on the PGA Tour, as there won't be the same loophole, the same olive branch that was extended in January of this year to four specific players: Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, John Ram, and Cameron Smith, which was essentially 'come back and all is forgiven'.

"Koepka was the only one who took that offer. The other three are probably ruing that decision now.

"What that means is that the DP World Tour is now the most desirable option for a lot of these players. They have until November 15 to take up DP World Tour membership, if eligible.

"In the cases of Rahm and Tyrell Hatton, they never gave up their membership. So that's all hunky dory.

"The likes of veterans Lee Westwood and Paul Casey, they haven't stated their intention yet, but they have career money list exemptions, so they could rejoin the DP World Tour.

"Then it gets more complicated. DeChambeau, for example, by winning the US Open in 2024, that got him five years exemption on the DP World Tour. But for every year you don't take up membership, you lose a year off the end.

"Bryson didn't take up membership in 2025 or '26, meaning he's lost his chance to in '28 and '29. He has the option for 2027, but that's his final option.

"For other major champions, the likes of Smith, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, that door is closed.

"It means they're going to have to rely on invites to events on the DP World Tour, and even if they get invites, they will have to add value to that event. And it's not going to be to the premier events.

"It's going to be a long and very tricky road back to the top."

What next for LIV Golf?

As things stand, LIV Golf as we know it, is heading for the end, with its assets being prepared for liquidation.

LIV's creditors committee will meet on November 20 and another hearing in the bankruptcy case is scheduled for November 24.

That does not necessarily mean, however, that the concept of a breakaway golf competition will disappear forever.

Much like the proposed Super League in football in 2021, the threat of another attempted coup could loom large indefinitely.

LIV demonstrated that there was an appetite, among other things, for some sort of team golf style events, a more favourable schedule, more international tournaments and bigger prize funds, which has forced the PGA Tour to reconsider aspects of its own business model.

There could still be opportunities for investors to purchase LIV's remaining assets, trademarks or other commercial interests.

However, recreating the competition would require significant financial backing and the commitment of leading players. But those burnt by its ultimate collapse on this occasion will surely be reticent to attach themselves to the brand once more.

And without the players, finding investors willing to take on the financial risk will be nigh on impossible.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: LIV Golf: What lies ahead for Bryson DeChambeau and co and what's next for the failed breakaway league?