LIV Golf may be about to lose another one of its most decorated players. Handicap 54 is reporting that Joaquin Niemann, 27, wants no part of LIV’s new era. In an Oct. 12 post on X, the account said more conversations with sources had strengthened its belief that he will leave.
Handicap 54 reported that Niemann and his team are trying to figure out how much of what LIV currently owes him he will actually receive. No official decision has been announced.
Niemann has been LIV’s top performer. He has won nine individual titles and earned $88,272,724 in prize money with the league. He also captains Torque GC.
He hasn’t committed either way. Asked at the BMW PGA Championship in September whether he had signed on for 2027, Niemann said, “No, nothing yet.” He has also said “the truth is that I’m still undecided about what I’m going to do.”
Niemann has said a return to the PGA Tour would be incredible, and that if he walks away from LIV, he would play the DP World Tour in 2027 before trying to work his way back. He was previously a DP World Tour member and won the 2023 Australian Open.
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That route only works if he leaves. DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings told BBC Sport that players who sign up for LIV 2.0 will not have membership next year.
Players have until Oct. 25 to decide, and the number of sign-ups could determine whether lead investor BC Partners finalizes a $300 million deal to fund the league. Signing on means playing a new 17-event schedule and becoming a partial owner of the tour. Here’s where things stand.
Out
Jon Rahm: His attorney said Rahm reviewed the LIV 2.0 terms, found them unacceptable and will not participate.
David Puig: “I don’t see myself playing in the LIV 2.0,” Puig said at the Open de Espana.
Reportedly out
Joaquin Niemann: Handicap 54 reported he is leaving. He has not confirmed it.
Tyrrell Hatton: Flushing It reported in August that sources expect him to leave LIV and play a full DP World Tour season in 2027. Hatton has not confirmed it, and he has until Oct. 25 to decide if he wants to stay eligible for the 2027 European Ryder Cup team.
Adrian Meronk: Polish reporter Jacek Person reported that Meronk does not intend to play LIV next season.
Abraham Ancer: Sports Business Journal’s Josh Carpenter reported that Ancer, Niemann’s Torque GC teammate, will not play in LIV 2.0.
Committed
Richard Bland: The first player to officially commit, Bland said that apart from senior events, he has “nowhere else to play.”
Victor Perez: Perez told Golf Planete in September that he plays for the Cleeks as of today and hopes LIV 2.0 has a future.
Cameron Tringale: Tringale has confirmed his commitment to LIV’s proposed 2027 relaunch.
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Undecided
Bryson DeChambeau: DeChambeau has been seeking DP World Tour starts but would not be able to take membership if he joins LIV 2.0.
Sergio Garcia: Garcia’s attorneys secured termination of his original LIV contract, making him a free agent who could still sign with LIV 2.0. He has said he wants to play more on the DP World Tour and make the European Ryder Cup team.
Cameron Smith: Smith has had lawyers in bankruptcy court seeking to terminate his contract, like Garcia. He told the Sydney Morning Herald in late September that there aren’t answers yet on LIV 2.0.
Tom McKibbin and Caleb Surratt: Both have yet to commit to the relaunch.
Dustin Johnson, Lucas Herbert and Louis Oosthuizen: None have announced a decision.
Byeong-hun An, Marc Leishman and Matthew Wolff: All three have had lawyers in bankruptcy court seeking contract terminations. A termination would not stop them from signing a new LIV 2.0 deal.
Niemann is not scheduled to play again until the Australian Open at Kingston Heath in early December.
