When LIV Golf burst onto the scene in 2022, former World No. 2 Bubba Watson was among the early recruits to join the breakaway league. The two-time Masters champion even took charge of the RangeGoats GC as its captain. However, as he prepares to turn 48 this week, Watson is expected to part ways with the rebel league.
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According to Pro Golf Critic, Watson might “not… be part of [LIV] 2.0.” The 47-year-old, however, has yet to confirm the report himself. The outlet also claimed that Watson “has claimed DPWT Affiliate status,” a pathway that allows non-members to compete for ranking points and potentially earn full membership on the DP World Tour.
This comes amid a mass exodus of players from LIV Golf. Previously, two-time major winner Jon Rahm exited the league, followed by names like Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Louis Oosthuizen. Regardless, the report about Watson is also supported by the fact that the DP World Tour issued a pretty serious warning to players last month.
The DP World Tour announced that players who sign up for LIV Golf 2.0 will not be allowed to compete on the European circuit, despite permitting them to do so in 2026. Therefore, if Watson intends to compete on the DP World Tour, he will have to sever ties with the breakaway league. Meanwhile, his departure would be a blow to LIV CEO Scott O’Neil’s efforts to keep the league afloat.
O’Neil and LIV Golf have been navigating a restructuring process since the league’s bankruptcy filing in September, after Saudi Arabia’s PIF withdrew its funding in April. However, LIV Golf has reportedly found a potential backer in London-based BC Partners, which has proposed a $300 million investment to fund the league in 2027. The deal, however, hinges on LIV retaining enough players for the next season.
The October 25 deadline, subsequently extended to October 30, passed, leaving the league’s future in 2027 uncertain as it remains unclear whether enough players have committed to the revamped tour. Among those reportedly opting to stay is two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau. Other names include Richard Bland, Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale, Ben Campbell, and Victor Perez.
If LIV Golf survives into 2027, it is expected to operate with a significantly reduced schedule and lower prize money. Against that backdrop, Bubba Watson’s reported departure would come as a surprise. The two-time Masters champion joined the league while recovering from a knee injury and did not make his debut until eight months later, in 2023. Since then, his performances have been mixed.
Although Watson occasionally showed glimpses of his old form, he failed to win a title. In 2024, he even found himself in the relegation zone. However, his commercial value helped him retain his place in the league. That route to maintaining LIV status was subsequently scrapped. If reports of his move to the DP World Tour prove accurate, Watson will compete on the European circuit for the next couple of years before transitioning to the senior circuit in 2029.
That being said, Watson was also part of a group of players who demanded money from the PIF, which further backs the report of his decision to leave LIV Golf.
Bubba Watson and others demanded $100 million from PIF
With Saudi Arabia’s PIF withdrawing its financial backing in April, more than 10 players are now seeking a combined $100 million in compensation for their unpaid contracts. According to The Athletic, the group includes two-time major champion Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, and Thomas Detry, among others.
The players have reportedly categorized their demands as severance payments from the PIF and are not expected to join LIV 2.0 ahead of the 2027 season. Representing the group, Johnson’s longtime lawyer David Cornwell told The Athletic that his clients made “career-altering decisions” based on repeated promises from the PIF.
He added that they were seeking a “sensible severance payment” as LIV Golf winds down its current operations. Cornwell also questioned how the PIF handled its commitments to players, warning that other professional sports organizations should take notice. Meanwhile, another source told the outlet that players had reportedly been offered just two cents on the dollar to settle their outstanding contracts.
All of this suggests that Bubba Watson could be heading for the LIV Golf exit. However, only time will tell what happens next, both for Watson and the league.