With questions swirling about LIV Golf’s survival, major champion Bryson DeChambeau is weighing his options for what comes next, including a significant shift toward digital content creation and possibly rejoining the PGA Tour.
The Saudi-backed Public Investment Fund revealed last week it would stop providing the $30 million prize pools that have funded LIV Golf events.
Speaking to media on Tuesday during practice for this week’s LIV event at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., the 32-year-old golfer shared his backup plans, which include dramatically expanding his online presence.
“I think, from my perspective, I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more,” DeChambeau explained. “I would love to. I’d love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube. And then I’d love to play tournaments that want me.”
DeChambeau made the jump to LIV Golf in June 2022 and joined 10 other players in filing a lawsuit against the PGA Tour later that year. He dropped out of the legal action in May 2023. The suit claimed the PGA Tour wrongfully suspended LIV participants through monopolistic practices.
The golfer acknowledged Tuesday that he’s had discussions with PGA Tour officials but expects harsh consequences if he seeks to return. He called potential penalties “quite unfortunate in my opinion, considering what I could do for them.”
DeChambeau believes both organizations must find common ground to repair professional men’s golf.
“The egos need to get dropped,” DeChambeau said. “Everybody needs to come in with a level-headed playing field, with an opportunistic mindset to grow the game of golf. That’s why I came over here. That’s why I do what I do on YouTube.”
When asked about receiving the remaining payments on his LIV contract, which ends after this season, DeChambeau expressed uncertainty about the Public Investment Fund’s intentions: “Your guess is as good as mine.”
