DeChambeau all-in on LIV Golf investment push as Rahm keeps his distance

Jon Rahm of Spain made clear Wednesday that he has no intention of getting involved in LIV Golf's efforts to attract new investors.

Speaking at the official press conference for LIV Golf Andalucía at Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, Rahm was blunt when asked whether he would take part in investor meetings. "I'm not involved," he said flatly.

"I think it's right for me to stay in my lane," Rahm said. "I know nothing about business — I wouldn't even be able to say a word if I walked into a business presentation. My job is to play golf, and this week's tournament is already hard enough."

He added that he would welcome a player who understands business stepping in to offer insight from the players' perspective, but drew a sharp contrast with Bryson DeChambeau of the United States. "I have three kids and a fourth on the way," Rahm said. "I don't have the time to fly around the world for meetings the way Bryson does — he's single. Even if I wanted to, it just wouldn't be realistic."

As Rahm suggested, DeChambeau has been actively involved in the search for new investors who could shape LIV Golf's future. He has attended meetings with potential backers directly, working to bolster confidence in the league.

The core business model DeChambeau pitches most forcefully to investors centers on team golf and franchise ownership stakes. He points to strong crowd turnout in markets such as Australia and South Africa as proof of the concept's viability, and he emphasizes the potential to expand marketing and sponsorship deals built around city- and country-based team identities.

At a press conference during LIV Golf Korea last week, DeChambeau said: "Whether investors will like this model or not remains to be seen, but I'm giving everything I have to make it happen."

DeChambeau has also worked to strengthen unity within the league by presenting players with a positive vision for its future. In media interviews he has said, "If we all come together as one, opportunities will come," rallying younger players alongside early LIV Golf recruits such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

LIV Golf is targeting between $250 million and $350 million in new funding and has set a goal of reaching profitability within two years. Should it fail to secure investors, however, the league's survival cannot be guaranteed.

Without fresh capital, the league would be forced to rely on franchise valuations or new media rights deals to stay afloat — a scenario that could shrink next year's schedule to fewer than 10 events.

According to Golfweek, if new funding does not materialize, LIV Golf may hold only six to eight tournaments next year, with per-event prize purses potentially falling to between $5 million and $10 million — far below this year's roughly $30 million per event.

LIV Golf launched in 2022 as a rival to the PGA Tour and has since poured more than $5 billion (approximately 6.8 trillion won) into the venture, yet has failed to generate meaningful television ratings in the United States — its largest market — or globally.

Speculation that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is pulling back has circulated for weeks. LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil acknowledged in an interview last month that funding is secured only through the current season, vowing to "work like crazy" to secure the league's future.