Earlier this week before The Cognizant Classic began and Jake Knapp went nuclar shooting 59 reports swirled about the future of LIV Golf. The speculation has been scattered for weeks with various sources on social media claiming that the upstart Saudi-backed golf league is either teetering on the brink or all systems go for years to come.
The latest speculation involved the specific futures of Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. Initially, it was reported that DeChambeau’s contract was up for renewal with LIV and that his number was around $280 million. Shortly thereafter, another report countered with an update that his contract isn’t up until next year.
The post-post reaction was far-and-wide.Subscribed
Why does it matter?
We all know that, at some point, LIV’s highest-profile players are going to be faced with a choice. Sign an extension with LIV Golf or move back onto the PGA Tour. That’s assuming no deal has been reached between the two entities to merge—or unify the game—whatever we want to call it.
And at that point, we’ll all be reminded of what actually matters in this entire debate about the future of professional golf. It’s not tournament hosts, it’s not funding sources, it’s not about any of the things golf fans, analysts, or podcasters talk about endlessly.
It’s about players.
It’s always been about the players. The circuit with the best players (and the most of them) will be the one that derives the largest audience, and therefore, is the thing people most-identify with professional golf. Achieving that was always going to be harder for LIV given that it doesn’t have the history or name recognition the PGA Tour does. That said, it becomes impossible if LIV loses a player or two from their top-crop.
You can’t sell LIV Golf as a serious venture without Bryson and/or Brooks. Both have been forces for the league. The 34-year-old Koepka has won five times over there and is one of the league’s faces. Meanwhile, DeChambeau has only won twice—but his off-the-course growth, insane popularity, and actual dedication to growing the game—make him a must-have for LIV.
If either go back to the PGA Tour after their current contracts expire LIV would need to have already signed one of the biggest names in golf to replace them. If DeChambeau were to go—it might take multiple high-profile signings to compensate for the loss.
Let the players decide.
There will be the natural urge for everyone to jump on every report that surfaces in the coming months. Not just about future contracts of current LIV players, but about the future of the game. Take them with a grain of salt, because the players definitive actions will be what dictates the future of professional golf.
And when they make those decisions—there won’t be any overlooking them.
