It’s not just LIV Golf whose season has come to an end. American-Mexican golfer Abraham Ancer, who has earned $33,614,042 from LIV, also appears set to miss the remainder of the season. After finishing T17 at LIV Golf Indianapolis last week, the 35-year-old revealed, somewhat surprisingly, that he had undergone back surgery.
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“For the last few years, I’ve been playing through back pain and trying to find ways to manage it, hoping I could keep playing and make it work,” he wrote on Instagram. “With the help of Christian (my PT) and my team, I was able to produce solid seasons and delay this decision as long as I did.
“Deep down, I knew it wasn’t going to be sustainable for the long term. While I made every effort to avoid it, it became apparent that surgery was the only option.”
Ancer added that although he wanted to continue playing through the rest of the year, he made the difficult decision to step away and prioritize his recovery. He believed that it was the right move for his long-term health. The LIV star is now focused on giving himself enough time to heal and complete his rehabilitation to return to golf stronger and healthier.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Michael Duffy and the team at Baylor Uptown Medical Center, and the 35-year-old remains optimistic about the next chapter of his career, insisting that his best golf is still ahead of him.
The American-Mexican golfer had joined LIV Golf back in June 2022 after beginning his career on the PGA Tour. During that time, he even secured his breakthrough victory at the 2021 FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis. Regardless, having left the American Tour, he initially played for Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs team. But he was later traded to Joaquin Niemann’s Torque GC for the 2026 season.
As Ancer takes a break from golf, his league is facing increasing uncertainty, which could mean the 35-year-old may not have a league to come back to next year. LIV had to cancel the season-ending Team Championship, months after Saudi Arabia’s PIF pulled its funding. So, LIV merged it with the Indie event. LIV CEO Scott O’Niel has claimed that the league has found a new lead investor, identified as Ted Goldthorpe of BC Partners.
Reports suggest O’Neil has secured a signed term sheet for a $250 million to $300 million investment deal, which is expected to close in September. However, questions remain over the league’s long-term future, with lawsuits continuing to pile up against the breakaway tour. Its vendors, including Fantasy Interactive, Fresh Tape Media and Mobii Systems Group Ltd., have already filed lawsuits over alleged nonpayment for their services.
Adding to LIV Golf’s legal troubles are lawsuits involving World Golf Group (WGG)/Premier Golf League (PGL) and Long Island Spirits. The league has also reportedly begun laying off a significant number of employees, further fueling uncertainty surrounding its future. If LIV Golf manages to navigate these challenges, Ancer could return to a transformed version of the league, dubbed LIV 2.0.
The revamped tour is expected to feature a reduced schedule and lower prize money, meaning Ancer, like several other players, could potentially consider leaving the league. For now, however, there is no confirmed timeline for the 35-year-old’s return. Fans will have to wait and see when Ancer is healthy enough to make his comeback.