No Smith, no DeChambeau? LIV Golf's Australia event under threat

LIV Golf, which shook up men's professional golf with Saudi Arabian backing, now faces an existential crisis as players continue to walk away. The host of its Australian event has gone so far as to demand that star players Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau remain on the roster, warning that the tournament could be reconsidered.

Golf Australia and Golf Monthly reported Tuesday (local time) that South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas expressed concerns over the wave of player departures from LIV Golf.

Speaking in an interview with Australian radio station SEN, Malinauskas said LIV Golf had told him all preparations for next year were on track, but added that his government was watching the situation closely. "It is very important that players like Smith and DeChambeau remain on the entry list — they are what makes the tournament a success," he said. "If we cannot be provided with the same quality of event as in the past, we will not proceed with hosting it."

LIV Golf Adelaide has long been a popular event in Australia, but the mass exodus of top-tier players has cast doubt over whether next year's edition will go ahead. Smith, the 2022 Open Championship winner, is reported to have requested a release from his LIV contract. DeChambeau, meanwhile, became a free agent after his contract was voided during LIV's bankruptcy protection process, and he has yet to say whether he will remain with LIV next year.

LIV Golf's crisis deepened after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund decided to stop funding the tour after the 2026 season. LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September and is now pursuing a relaunch as "LIV 2.0" in 2027, contingent on securing new investors.

Player departures, however, continue to undermine those plans. Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, the 2010 US Open champion, announced Monday on social media that he had decided not to participate in LIV 2.0.

He joins a growing list of players who have already cut ties with LIV, including Jon Rahm (Spain), Tyrrell Hatton (England), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Ian Poulter (England) and Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa). Australia's Lucas Herbert also chose to leave in order to return to the DP World Tour.

LIV is pursuing up to $300 million in new investment from British private equity fund BC Partners. The investment is reportedly conditional on LIV securing a sufficient number of players. The deadline for players to confirm their participation has also been pushed back from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30.

As more players leave LIV, an unexpected rift has emerged within the European DP World Tour, where existing members worry that accommodating returning players could cost them their own tournament spots.

Dutch player Joost Luiten said players who left for LIV should be required to go through qualifying school to return. Scotland's Ewen Ferguson and England's Richard Mansell also expressed reservations about unconditionally accepting players back.

The DP World Tour has decided not to allow LIV players to compete in its events from 2027, forcing players to choose between staying with LIV and returning to the DP World Tour.