News for @TheAthletic: The DP World Tour has begun notifying LIV golfers that it is highly unlikely that “conditional releases” will be granted beyond 2026, per a source briefed on the matter.

No more deals to do away with fines and suspensions. https://t.co/gGuF5N6mu1

— Gabby Herzig (@GabbyHerzig) August 12, 2026

Despite it being reported weeks ago that LIV Golf Michigan will be cancelled and vendors, contractors, the venue, staff and players all being aware, LIV Golf has still not officially cancelled the event. They're still even selling tickets to fans. Why is that?

The reason could be due to potential impending lawsuits. LIV Golf players are contracted for 14 events. As LIV Golf sources expect the company to file for bankruptcy in early September, if the events are "postponed" at that time instead of "cancelled", it could remove an argument that LIV Golf did not uphold this part of the contracts. This could also help explain why LIV Golf New Orleans was "postponed" earlier this year due to highly questionable reasons and not officially cancelled.

A significant number of people within the league have told me they have lost all faith in the leadership and smoke and mirrors campaigns only make it worse. The decision to still be selling tickets for the event that will not be played in Michigan also shows a significant level of contempt for fans who will end up out of pocket in completely avoidable circumstances.

https://x.com/flushingitgolf

PJYoung said:

---

News for @TheAthletic: The DP World Tour has begun notifying LIV golfers that it is highly unlikely that “conditional releases” will be granted beyond 2026, per a source briefed on the matter.

No more deals to do away with fines and suspensions. https://t.co/gGuF5N6mu1

— Gabby Herzig (@GabbyHerzig) August 12, 2026

---

Big because DP runs the Euro Ryder Cup team, players that return to the new LIV (presumably as equity holders) may be left out in the cold at the 2027 competition in Ireland in addition to having no DP Tour status. Pathways to anything meaningful are closing quickly for those who stay.

Bryson is goofy enough to fall for equity in some hybrid competitive golf/content creator BS. Rahm was never gonna go for something like that. No surprise is bailing. Curious to see if the investors bail if Rahm is gone.

4-D chess by the DP to bring this to a head in this way.

At least according the No Laying Up pod the deal was contingent on keeping the star players

98Ag99Grad said:

---

He way overplayed his hand, thinking that going there would bring world peace between the 2 tours. Probably cost himself a major or 2 in the process.

---

Somebody stroked his ego enough to oversell him on his importance in the professional golf world.

And waved a 9-figure check in front of him.

The Rahm lawsuit and settlement will be interesting. He doesn't want to break his contract because of the enormous amount of money that he is still owed, but they aren't going to have that money either way, and holding out longer only narrows his future options. Suing the Saudis does not seem like fun. I am curious to see what, if anything, he is able to get from them.

cb1919 said:

---

Yeah I don't know if the dude that's made $100s of millions of dollars overplayed his hand…

---

I seriously doubt he made $100s of millions

Marauder Blue 6 said:

---

cb1919 said:

---

Yeah I don't know if the dude that's made $100s of millions of dollars overplayed his hand…

---

I seriously doubt he made $100s of millions

---

He's made almost $100 just on course before signing bonus

I think LIV could survive without Rahm, so long as they settled with him financially and the league was allowed to continue. Bryson moves the needle over there and they would do some other contrived circuit with him and others who just ride along for whatever easy money is to be had. Doesn't have to involve points, just hits and giggles across the world with Bryson's legion propping it up with Anthony Kim still around doing his thing. I could see it for a year or two.

cb1919 said:

---

Marauder Blue 6 said:

---

cb1919 said:

---

Yeah I don't know if the dude that's made $100s of millions of dollars overplayed his hand…

---

I seriously doubt he made $100s of millions

---

He's made almost $100 just on course before signing bonus

---

You have specific, fact-based proof of what he's been paid?

Bryson doesn't move the needle that much with LIV golf these days. Their current business plan (and its survival) for LIV golf is a major mess which isn't being helped by their poor leadership.

Good point there. Rahm has been screwed over by LIV golf as he is still owed a lot of money from his original contract that he likely will never recoup. I think Rahm will leave LIV golf and try to play on the DP World tour next year while working his way back to the PGA Tour by 2028.

JCA1 said:

---

HeyAbbott said:

---

Bryson doesn't move the needle that much with LIV golf these days. Their current business plan (and its survival) for LIV golf is a major mess which isn't being helped by their poor leadership.

---

Yeah. In a weird turn of events, LIV basically got nothing out of him from a needle moving perspective, but he got a ton out of them as it allowed him time to pursue his curated persona on his YouTube channel and kept him off weekly TV where his, let's call them, idiosyncrasies come through. He should have been paying them rather than them paying him.

---

This is so true. LIV has been the best thing that could have ever happened for Bryson. He only got popular when we started mostly getting curated Bryson vs authentic Bryson.

For Rahm, even if they renege on the rest of his bonus, he has still made a boatload more $$$. So financially, it was a good move for him regardless. HOWEVER, these Spanish guys worship at the altar of Seve, and for a time, Rahm was on a path to take a seat right next to him or maybe even surpass him. But I don't have any doubt going to LIV hurt his game and has cost him majors. And the game is so competitive now, windows close quickly. So he got rich, but it may have come at the price of a legacy.

They just cancelled the season ending team event.

Ezra Brooks said:

---

They just cancelled the season ending team event.

---

You mean they finally stopped selling tickets?

Legion gear gonna fill up the Ross racks for holidays.

Players not paid purses from the last tournament? Wheels are coming off fast.

Quote:

---

And while there are fresh questions around this week's tournament, one source said some players are still awaiting payment for LIV's last tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey that concluded on Aug. 9.
Players typically have been paid their tournament winnings on the Tuesday or Wednesday after an event was completed. It wasn't immediately clear if players had stipulations in their contracts for when they had to be paid following a tournament. Other LIV sources did indicate they still expect the players to be paid for the Bedminster event.
Because of the lack of payment to date, the source questioned if some players would choose to not compete this week in Indianapolis. Additionally, the same person said this week's tournament purse was expected to be substantially lower than the $30M that was originally planned.

---

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/08/18/source-some-liv-players-still-awaiting-payment-for-most-recent-tournament/

🚨👀⛳️#NEW — @TeeTimesPub reporting that Jon Rahm is set to return to the PGA Tour with Indy being his final LIV event. Deal reportedly involves: $25M fine, will have to play way into Sig. events, no sponsor exemptions, etc. Legion XIII GM seeking similar deal for Hatton, too. https://t.co/V9wrxi27xO

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) August 18, 2026

What an absolute shady **** show. Smart move by Rahm. Negotiate your way back and move on. This thing is deader than fried chicken and you aren't getting paid, so no sense in dragging it out. Also, the $250mm is a lie.

If the report about Rahm is true, it really was the only feasible move he could make. LIV golf has burned a lot of bridges with its players, vendors and others over the past months and Rahm wasn't going to recoup what he was owed by LIV golf per his original contract.

Enrico Pallazzo said:

---

What an absolute shady **** show. Smart move by Rahm. Negotiate your way back and move on. This thing is deader than fried chicken and you aren't getting paid, so no sense in dragging it out. Also, the $250mm is a lie.

---

so is he going to tale care of the other guys he talked into coming over like Hatton and Ballester

Probably not, but I'm sure he'll buy them a nice bottle of wine from a spanish vinyard

LIV is dead. Play the last event and move on. I enjoyed while it was on normal time. But it has run its course. I will never understand the "fines". Seems stupid and egotistical. Did the nba make dr j pay a fine. Did the nfl make Doug Williams or Hershel walker pay a fine. The fine is just stupid. But it will be interesting to see what happens with cam smith, mark leishman, Neimann, Hatton and especially Caleb surratt and tom McKibbon. Also, fehrity.