Thomas Pieters was ready to retire from professional golf entirely when LIV Golf’s funding crisis hit. That’s exactly what the Belgian star told Dan Rapaport when asked about the hours following Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s withdrawal of its multi-billion-dollar backing from the league. His admission to Dan was nothing but honest.

“I called home and said I was ready to retire on Monday if they really pulled the plug that quickly, and I was kind of okay with that. The atmosphere was very grim. After three or four hours of everyone talking about it and checking Twitter every few seconds, I’d had enough,” he said on the Dan on Golf Show. “I’m not too fussed right now. I still feel a responsibility to focus on the next six or seven tournaments on LIV, and then we’ll see.”

The fact that Pieters could entertain retirement so calmly traces back directly to why he joined LIV in 2023. Rapaport had reported back in 2022 that Pieters “hated his life” grinding through a full PGA Tour schedule, describing his eventual move as a last-minute decision driven by wanting to play less, earn more, and be present for his family. He has since confirmed he has zero intention of returning to the PGA Tour, calling the lifestyle there lonely and mentally exhausting.

PIF has poured over $5 billion into LIV since 2022, with reports suggesting losses of hundreds of millions annually. The fund has now confirmed it will stop financing the league entirely after 2026, with total investment expected to cross $6 billion by year’s end. The decision comes as PIF’s future vision and current macro dynamics do not allow it to have a loss-making league on its roster anymore.

Pieters is not alone in feeling the weight of that uncertainty. Across the locker room, players are processing the same question: what happens after this season ends? Bryson DeChambeau, whose reported $125 million contract also expires this season, has pushed back hard against reports of PGA Tour return talks.

“It’s completely untrue. I’m working as hard as I can to find a solution,” he told Flushing It Golf. “I’m committed to making team golf work in the best way possible. I think there’s a place for it in the ecosystem, and I want to continue to grow the game across the world. That’s always been our mission, and it’s never been more true than now.”

DeChambeau joined LIV Golf in 2022 for approximately a $125m contract, and it is set ​to expire at the end of this season. He was reportedly seeking a $500m deal to stay with LIV before ​the league’s funding problems were revealed.

Now that LIV Golf’s management knows what is at stake, it is making some fast and practical decisions.

LIV Golf partners with investment bank Ducera

Just one week after announcing a board restructuring, LIV Golf has engaged investment bank Ducera to lead its search for long-term financial partners. This strategic move signals the league is treating this setback as a pivot, not a shutdown.

Ducera is not a small player in its industry. The bank has advised on over $850 billion in transactions across media, entertainment, and sports, giving LIV Golf credible firepower to attract serious investment conversations rather than desperation deals.

With the clock running and player contracts expiring, the pressure to close a deal is immediate. LIV’s newly stated goal is transitioning into a diversified, multi-partner model rather than depending on a single sovereign backer.