DeChambeau shocked by PIF exit from LIV Golf, eyes YouTube growth

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will end its support for LIV Golf after the 2026 season, a sudden shift after years of backing. Rumors spread in recent weeks before confirmation of the PIF's decision.

Questions swirled immediately about the tour's remaining events, player payments for the rest of the season and potential new investors for 2027. Players voiced uncertainty, with some ruling out a return to the PGA Tour. Jon Rahm settled differences with the DP World Tour on Tuesday, paving the way for his return to European events this year.

Bryson DeChambeau, LIV's biggest star and a two-time major winner, addressed his future ahead of this weekend's event at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. He won the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst and has built a large following on his YouTube golf channel.

DeChambeau said he would love to grow his YouTube channel if LIV shuts down after this year. "I think, from my perspective, I'd love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more," he told reporters. "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."

He criticized potential PGA Tour penalties as "quite unfortunate in my opinion, considering what I could do for them." "The egos need to get dropped," he added. "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."

DeChambeau said he was "completely shocked" by the PIF's timeline. "I didn't expect it to happen. A couple months before that, it's like, 'We're here until 2032. We've got financing until 2032,' and so I told everybody, and that's what I was told. And then, you know, I haven't had any communication. And unfortunately, things are moving on in a different direction. Obviously, they wanted to move on."

He defended LIV's team model as successful, with some teams reaching valuations near $200 million. "If we have a great business model and they're very interested in combining forces, that's the Kumbaya moment, right?" he said. "So, it's our job to come up with a better business plan on the [top company] side."

DeChambeau said the PGA Tour faces financial issues too, despite media support. "Look, the [PGA Tour] isn't doing great either. Let's be honest about the situation. They've got the media. They've got everybody on the side that helps pump it up. But they're reducing field sizes, cutting employees and restructuring their business too."