McDowell exits LIV Golf amid bankruptcy, player exodus — SkimNews
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- Graeme McDowell has decided not to pursue LIV 2.0, the relaunched version of the breakaway golf tour set to begin in 2027, after playing since its 2022 launch.
- LIV Golf filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. last month after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrew support, having invested over $5bn.
- LIV Golf secured a potential $300m in financing from BC Partners Credit to advance LIV 2.0, though only a handful of players have committed so far.
- Jon Rahm, Louis Oosthuizen, Tyrrell Hatton, and Ian Poulter have all confirmed their departures from LIV Golf, joining McDowell in exiting the tour.
- Mark King, former TaylorMade and Adidas executive, was appointed senior adviser as LIV Golf pushes forward with player recruitment for LIV 2.0.
- LIV Golf told a bankruptcy court it needs a 'sufficient number of players' to form a viable league and expects to know by the end of October whether LIV 2.0 can proceed.
Why it matters: LIV Golf’s ability to survive hinges on signing enough elite players by the end of October, but with major champions like McDowell and Rahm leaving, the league faces a credibility and talent crisis just weeks before its deadline. The $300m lifeline means little without star power to anchor the tour.
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