Bryson DeChambeau's future in LIV Golf has come under question following an update on reports claiming the league could shut down.
Just days after The Masters, arguably the biggest golf tournament of the year, finished at Augusta National, news broke that LIV Golf was seriously at risk of collapsing.
Despite some reassurances from the LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, it has widely been reported that the funding for the Saudi-backed rival to the PGA Tour will end as soon as August, largely due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
If LIV Golf was to shut down, it would of course raise questions about what will happen to the 57 players currently competing in the league, especially some of the biggest names.
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PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp appeared to suggest that the likes of DeChambeau and Jon Rahm could still return to the league should LIV fall apart, but it remains to be seen if either man would consider doing so.
However, it appears that this may have changed, as a major report from The Athletic's Brody Miller has revealed that DeChambeau and members of his team have already held meetings to discuss leaving LIV Golf in the near future.
The report states that the American and his team spent parts of Master week meeting with various different organisations, discussing the possibility of making the move from LIV.
As it stands, it is unclear exactly who the golf star was speaking to, or if the PGA Tour is one of those options.
That being said, it is believed that DeChambeau is leveraging his popularity on YouTube as well as the recent fallout of others leaving LIV for the PGA Tour to ask for up to $500 million to resign with the Saudi league.
But it's not just LIV that the American has mentioned his YouTube popularity to, as he has also reportedly told all potential suitors that he would be willing to drop out of a regular league altogether to focus on his social media and only playing the four major championships.
If DeChambeau were to leave LIV Golf it would be nothing short of a complete disaster for the league given his importance to its image since he joined in June 2022.
It is believed that there is optimism within LIV that he will commit his long-term future to LIV Golf ahead of his current deal expiring this year, but it remains to be seen how the rumours surrounding the league itself could impact things.
However, his decision not to speak to the media following his two-over round on Saturday at the LIV event in Mexico City followed by his withdrawal the following day certainly hasn't helped quell the rumours that he could yet leave the league at the end of the year.
Topics: Golf, Saudi Arabia
Ben McCrum