More than 100,000 fans turned out for LIV Golf Adelaide this year. Now, with the 2027 event on the horizon, uncertainty has reached the South Australian golf club which is meant to host it. Kooyonga Golf Club is taking LIV Golf to a U.S. bankruptcy court, seeking protection over the future of LIV Golf Adelaide 2027, scheduled for March 18-21. In a letter to its members shared on X on October 2, Kooyonga explained why it filed a motion in LIV’s Chapter 11 case and made one thing clear: the club still wants the event to go ahead.

The motion asks the court to make LIV do two things. First, confirm by November 6, 2026 whether it will go ahead with the 2027 agreement. Second, cover projected costs the club faces while LIV decides, including out-of-pocket expenses and bookings it can’t accept while the course is held for the event.

Kooyonga also asked for a hearing on October 7, earlier than the likely November date. This is a motion seeking clarity and protection, not a lawsuit aimed at killing the event.

Chapter 11 lets a company restructure while it decides which contracts to keep. As the club put it, “under Chapter 11, a company can otherwise take a long time to decide whether to continue with its existing agreements.”

That leaves Kooyonga in a difficult position. If the club keeps preparing and LIV later walks away, it could lose money. But if it stops preparing and LIV decides to go ahead, the club could be left rushing to get everything ready. Kooyonga has described its court motion as a normal step in the Chapter 11 process to protect its interests.

The issue also did not come out of nowhere. In July, LIV asked for more time to make a payment to Kooyonga. The amount was put at $500,000 by Adelaide radio station FIVEaa, and Premier Peter Malinauskas said the extension had been granted.

The bankruptcy filings give more detail on the payment. LIV was supposed to pay half of the hosting fee by early July, but the payment was not made. LIV then filed for bankruptcy just days before the payment was due. Kooyonga also said that another month of preparation could cost around $70,000, although the filing does not make the currency clear.

LIV entered Chapter 11 in September after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said it would stop funding the league. As part of its planned restructuring with BC Partners, LIV also needs commitments from a certain number of players by October 13.

That has left some players waiting for answers, too. Cameron Smith has described the situation as being “a bit of a limbo,” while Jon Rahm has pointed to the long legal process still ahead. With so much still being worked out, LIV’s uncertainty around Kooyonga becomes easier to understand.

The Grange hosted LIV Golf Adelaide for four years before Kooyonga was chosen for the 2027 edition. The plan is for Kooyonga to host the event for one year before it moves to the redeveloped $45 million North Adelaide Golf Course in 2028. The South Australian government also has a contract with LIV that runs through 2031.

Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis told ABC Radio that he still hopes the event will happen, although he admitted that it currently does not look certain. He also said Kooyonga was right to seek clarity and that LIV needs to provide answers. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, meanwhile, has said LIV officials continue to assure the government that they plan to return to Adelaide next year.

Kooyonga’s own message is perhaps the clearest part of the story. The club told its members that it still supports the tournament and wants to host it at Kooyonga.

So, this is not a case of Kooyonga walking away from LIV. The club still wants to host the tournament. It simply wants to know where LIV stands and to protect itself while the league works through its bankruptcy process. Kooyonga also said it remains in regular contact with LIV, the State Government and other stakeholders.

The dates in the court process are also important. Kooyonga asked for a hearing on October 7, while LIV reportedly asked the judge for more time and a November 5 hearing, and Judge Michael Kaplan set October 22 as the ruling date. The October 13 player deadline falls in between those dates, while November 6 is the date Kooyonga wants LIV to confirm whether it will continue with the agreement.

For now, LIV Golf Adelaide remains scheduled for March 18-21, 2027. The tournament is still on the calendar, but its future is tied to LIV’s bankruptcy case, its plans for next season, and the players who will be part of the new setup. For Adelaide golf fans, there is now a little more waiting before they know what comes next.