DeChambeau turns to YouTube amid LIV uncertainty

“If LIV Golf can’t find a solution, I want to grow my YouTube channel by at least three times.”

Bryson DeChambeau made the remark Thursday during a news conference ahead of the LIV Golf Virginia tournament at Trump National Golf Club near Washington.

With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, or PIF, preparing to end financial support for LIV Golf next year, DeChambeau appears to be looking beyond the Saudi-backed circuit instead of focusing solely on a return to the PGA Tour.

DeChambeau, whose LIV contract expires at the end of this year, had reportedly been in talks over a contract extension worth about $500 million before PIF announced it would halt funding. “I was shocked when I heard the news,” DeChambeau said. “Just a few months ago, I was told funding was secured through 2032. I never thought something like this could happen.”

The American golfer already has a substantial following outside the sport. His YouTube channel has 2.79 million subscribers, giving him a strong platform beyond tournament golf.

Although LIV players remain barred from PGA Tour events, DeChambeau is still eligible to compete in golf’s four major championships. His strong results in recent years, including his victory at the 2024 U.S. Open, have secured his place in all four majors, including the Masters Tournament.

DeChambeau is not the only LIV player preparing for an uncertain future. Spanish golfer Jon Rahm said Wednesday that he had resolved his dispute with the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour.

Rahm, who joined LIV Golf in December 2023, had been at odds with the tour over fines imposed after his move to the Saudi-backed league. Just a week after PIF announced it would withdraw funding, Rahm agreed to pay all outstanding penalties. According to U.S. business magazine Forbes, the fines imposed on Rahm totaled about $3 million.

It remains unclear whether Rahm intends to use the agreement as a stepping stone for a return to the PGA Tour. “That’s not something I want to think about right now,” Rahm said when asked about the possibility.

Brooks Koepka, another major champion who played on LIV through last year, already returned to the PGA Tour earlier this year through the tour’s reinstatement program.


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