When Bryson DeChambeau stepped onto The Club at Chatham Hills on Thursday, his future remained unclear. His LIV Golf contract was nearing its end with the Indianapolis finale, while the breakaway league itself faced mounting uncertainty. But the two-time major champion may have quietly offered a glimpse into what comes next.
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“It was a good run,” he wrote his first word message on Instagram, sharing a bunch of pictures of his wins in the league.
If he indeed leaves the breakaway tour, it would be a bit of a shock. After all, DeChambeau asked the sport to resist writing off the breakaway league just yet. Speaking Thursday, the two-time major champion called for an open-minded approach, urging LIV to be given another opportunity to prove itself beyond this season.
Not to mention, The Athletic reported that DeChambeau, who joined LIV Golf in June 2022, was seeking a massive $500 million contract extension to remain with LIV Golf. Of course, being the biggest name on the league’s roster, he had plenty of leverage to pull over the breakaway tour. He also explored his options with other organizations during Masters week.
But there’s no clarity on that front. He could also lean more on the YouTube side of things, having built a massive following on the platform, and just play the four majors. Yet, for a league in LIV’s position, giving Bryson half a billion dollars might not have been possible. This could leave them without a trump card to show off.
Bryson’s five-word confession came after veteran Ian Poulter also expressed doubts over whether he wants to remain in the league. So, clearly DeChambeau isn’t the only one contemplating an exit. But DeChambeau hasn’t officially confirmed whether he is leaving LIV Golf, In the meantime, LIV continues to struggle with its existence.
Even though CEO Scott O’Niel revealed that they have secured a lead investor, there’s no clarity on what the deal is and who this lead investor is. Anywho, LIV is now aiming to establish its LIV 2.0 era with players becoming majority equity holders in the league via a structured vesting schedule, marking a first for a major global sports league.
Aside from the lead investor, the league has reported interest from more than a dozen other potential minority partners to build long-term commercial stability. The upcoming era aims to rely less on unlimited sovereign backing and more on commercial discipline, scaled-down team events, global ‘Team Majors,’ and potential collaborative scheduling with other golf tours.
But at the end of the day, the sun appears to be setting on Bryson DeChambeau’s time at the breakaway league. Only time will tell what he does next.