2025 rattled LIV Golf; 2026 is testing whether the league can salvage itself or will collapse under bad optics. Brooks Koepka’s departure, relegations, and rumors of golfers like Pat Perez leaving have created a vacuum that LIV appears desperate to fill. And instead of a public signing spree, the Saudi-based circuit is holding soft and private talks with the PGA Tour pros to fill that void.

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Will Si Woo Kim really join Becko East?

LIV Golf desperately wants to crack the massive South Korean market this coming season. They even filed a trademark for a new team name called ‘Becko East GC.’ Si Woo Kim was the primary target to captain this brand-new squad. Reports even claimed the four-time PGA Tour winner was in the very late stages of negotiations. And when the drama reached a boiling point, Kim posted a photo of his Sony Open trophy and wrote, “Okay guys, see you in @sonyopenhawaii.”

Moments after Kim’s post, his equipment sponsor, Callaway Golf, posted the “I’m not f***ing leaving” meme from the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, tagging Kim. This coordinated social media blitz was a clear and public rejection of the LIV offer. But then the golfer suddenly deleted that specific post and sparked the rumors again. Outlets like Golf Forever claim that LIV is back in talks with the superstar.

This back-and-forth action has left everyone very confused, and NBC reporter Smylie Kaufman noted that something interesting is taking place inside the Ironheads franchise lately. Captain Kevin Na even stopped following his own team on social media this week. So, Kaufman believes Kim might just join the LIV Golf at the final possible moment.

As of today, January 7, 2026, Kim is still listed for the Sony Open. However, the Sony Open finishes two weeks before the LIV season begins in Riyadh. This gap in the schedule allows for a very shocking last-minute change.

The rumors are flying fast, but two other stars are already packing their bags.

Thomas Detry joins 4Aces GC

Unlike the mystery surrounding Kim, Thomas Detry is reportedly ready to jump ship. The Belgian star is set to join Dustin Johnson’s famous 4Aces GC team, according to The Times’ Tom Kershaw. 

Detry recently won the 2025 WM Phoenix Open by a massive seven strokes and became the first player from Belgium to ever win on the PGA Tour. Joining the 4Aces allows Detry to reunite with his close friend Thomas Pieters. The two Belgians were teammates at the University of Illinois many years ago and famously won the 2018 World Cup of Golf for their home country.

The arrival of Detry triggers a very interesting roster shuffle for the 4Aces squad. Harold Varner III is reportedly moving over to Smash GC to fill a spot left by Brooks Koepka’s exit. Detry’s high world ranking of number 57 makes him a very high-profile signing.

Elvis Smylie signs with Ripper GC

The next almost confirmed star is a young Australian named Elvis Smylie. At only twenty-three years old, Smylie won the 2024 Australian PGA Championship in a very dramatic way. Smylie beat his own idol, Cameron Smith, by two strokes to win lately and is set to join the all-Australian team called Ripper GC, led by Smith.

The connection between Smylie and Cameron Smith is deep. In 2019, Smylie received a special scholarship that allowed him to train with Smith. He even lived with the Open Champion at his Florida home for a week. Now the student is officially joining the teacher to play on the same team.

Smylie will replace the veteran Matt Jones, who was recently relegated from the league. Jones finished in the “Open Zone” and failed to secure a new team contract. Smylie ranks as number 127 in the world, but his ceiling is much higher. And he will join other stars like Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert in Riyadh for the new season, which officially kicks off on February 4 with 72 holes.

With just a few weeks left for the 2026 LIV Golf season, the potential for changes is high. Akshay Bhatia was also approached to join HyFlyers GC, but refused as his long-term goal remains to win majors.