Bryson DeChambeau Holds the Cards - and LIV Golf Knows It
Bryson DeChambeau isn’t just playing the game. He’s playing the room. And right now, that room includes LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed league that’s already poured billions into reshaping the professional golf landscape - and might have to dig even deeper to keep its biggest star.
DeChambeau is leveraging every ounce of his value, and he’s doing it with the kind of calculated confidence that only a select few athletes in the world can afford. His recent social media post - a cryptic image of him standing next to an "EXIT" sign, shrugging with the caption “What would you do?” - wasn’t just a throwaway moment. It was a message, timed perfectly to land the day after Brooks Koepka announced his departure from LIV and return to the PGA Tour.
This wasn’t subtle. It was strategic.
And it didn’t stop there. DeChambeau followed up with pointed remarks in an interview, saying, “things have got to change, things have got to improve.”
That’s not a player casually voicing concerns - that’s a franchise star putting pressure on the front office. It’s a signal to LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and PIF chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan: If you want to keep the face of your league, it’s going to cost you.
And frankly, LIV can’t afford to lose him.
O’Neil has already gone on record calling DeChambeau “the biggest star in the game of golf.” That’s not just flattery - it’s acknowledgment of the reality LIV is facing.
Koepka’s exit was a blow. Losing DeChambeau would be a body shot that could knock the wind out of the entire operation.
Because here’s the thing: DeChambeau isn’t just a golfer. He’s a brand, a content machine, a walking highlight reel with a massive digital footprint.
From Augusta to Adelaide, he draws crowds. He’s not just known - he’s adored.
Kids look up to him. Fans flock to him.
He’s the rare athlete who bridges the gap between old-school power and new-age marketing.
And LIV knows it.
His initial contract - reportedly worth $125 million - expires after this season. But if LIV wants to keep DeChambeau, they’ll need to think bigger.
Much bigger. Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earns over $250 million annually from his Saudi club, Al Nassr.
DeChambeau might not command that exact number, but he’s clearly signaling that he belongs in that ballpark. And given the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s estimated $1 trillion in assets, the money is there.
The question is whether LIV is willing to spend it again.
LIV’s business model has been aggressive from the start. The league has reportedly lost $1.4 billion in its first four seasons, but when your financial backing is a sovereign wealth fund with virtually unlimited resources, a billion dollars is more like a rounding error. The real concern isn’t the money - it’s the momentum.
Koepka’s departure could be the first domino. LIV’s leadership insists their stars are locked in for 2026, but if more high-profile players start to reconsider their futures, the league could find itself at a crossroads.
And that’s where DeChambeau’s leverage becomes even more powerful. He’s not just a player LIV wants to keep - he’s the player they have to keep.
O’Neil made that crystal clear during LIV’s media day in Palm Beach County.
“He’s an elite human being. He’s talented.
He’s wonderful. He’s a social media darling,” O’Neil said.
“You go from Augusta to Adelaide and people, fans are losing their minds. He is a guy who kids actually adore and love.
He gets the vision. He gets the mission.
He’s a true businessman.”
That’s not just praise - that’s a pitch. And it sounds a lot like someone preparing to open the checkbook.
DeChambeau has outpaced every other LIV star - Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm - when it comes to relevance and reach. He’s not just part of the LIV brand; in many ways, he is the brand. And he knows it.
LIV originally didn’t plan to hand out massive second contracts. But plans change when your most valuable asset holds the keys to your future.
If LIV wants to keep DeChambeau - and keep pace in a golf world that’s still dominated by the PGA Tour - they’ll need to pay up. Not just to reward him, but to send a message to every other potential defector that LIV takes care of its stars.
So what’s $500 million to PIF?
If it keeps Bryson DeChambeau in the fold, it might just be the best investment they’ve made yet.