Two-time major champion Martin Kaymer is casting serious doubt on whether LIV Golf’s season-ending team championship will happen, saying the chances are “highly unlikely” as the league struggles to secure the money needed to keep operating into 2027.
LIV Golf returned to action Thursday with the opening round of its United Kingdom event, ending a lengthy break that began in early June when its first-ever New Orleans event was postponed indefinitely. Kaymer said he believes the remaining two individual events of the 2026 season will go on as planned, but he put the odds of the team championship happening in Plymouth, Michigan at just 5%.
The league is desperately searching for new financial backers after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced it would pull its financial support. CEO Scott O’Neil is reportedly trying to raise $350 million, but Kaymer said the players are largely being kept in the dark about what comes next.
A decision on whether the team event will proceed is expected to be announced by Tuesday.
“There was a conversation on Wednesday: Michigan, highly unlikely. According to (the discussion on) Wednesday, it didn’t look good,” said Kaymer, who serves as captain of Cleeks GC, in an interview with Today’s Golfer.
“We were hoping for a bit more information (from the meeting). We got the information, but we were more looking for decisions or what is happening next year.”
“Unfortunately, even Scott can’t tell us because he doesn’t know. It depends so much on the investors.”
Kaymer also addressed a Golf Channel report suggesting that the final individual event scheduled for Indianapolis could be converted into a team competition instead.
“I think that would be a shame that we get reduced even more individual tournaments,” Kaymer said. “On the other hand, how do you want to have a team winning the whole season if you don’t have a team event? We need to be honest. The whole season was a bit of a … there was so much happening. Yeah.”
“Canceled New Orleans. Canceled most likely the last event. So I think it’s important to just finish the season and hopefully we’ll have a plan for 2027.”
Individual points leader Jon Rahm said earlier this week that he has been “in contact” with league decision-makers as LIV hunts for new funding, but noted there were no details “I can share with you guys right now.”
The league absorbed another significant setback this week when the Asian Tour announced it would be aligning itself with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. The Asian Tour had been functioning as a feeder circuit for LIV, offering a pathway into the league through its International Series events. Losing that partnership would eliminate LIV’s ability to pursue its vision of a reimagined league built around national open championships.
Golf Digest reported Thursday that LIV players who also hold DP World Tour membership have been having “regular discussions” with that European circuit about their options for 2027. Some players who are not current DP World Tour members are also reportedly exploring alternatives, including the possibility of competing on the tour’s developmental circuit, known as the HotelPlanner Tour.
A separate report from Flushing It indicated that seven players have told the golf outlet they intend to leave LIV Golf after the 2026 season regardless of whether new funding is secured.
O’Neil reportedly held a meeting with team captains this week following the Asian Tour announcement but was unable to offer many specifics about where the funding search stands.
“I think there’s a lot of interest and it’s looking good,” said Kaymer, a 41-year-old German. “But we’ve all been there. If the signature is not there, then it doesn’t mean anything.”
“In the end, if those investors decide to pull out, then we don’t play golf next year on LIV Golf. And if they decide to do it, then we have a chance.”
Following this week’s event at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester, England, LIV is scheduled to compete at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey from August 6-9, followed by The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, Indiana from August 20-23. The team championship is currently on the schedule for August 27-30 at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Plymouth, Michigan.
