The landscape of professional golf is shifting again, and this time the tremors are centered on Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean star, who holds the record for most individual victories in LIV Golf history with nine wins, is reportedly moving closer to walking away from the breakaway league.
This potential exit comes as the tour struggles to survive its own financial collapse. According to reports, the situation has become so dire that sources view Niemann’s departure as an open secret. The league filed for bankruptcy in September after its primary backer pulled the plug, leaving players in limbo while they await a restructuring deal.
Henry DiGennaro at Heavy.com mentioned this on Tuesday, citing conversations with insiders who believe Niemann is currently weighing how much money he might recover from the league’s debts. No official announcement has been made yet, but the pressure is mounting. The league faces an October 25 deadline to secure player commitments for its proposed 2027 relaunch.
If Niemann leaves, it marks a massive blow to a circuit that has already seen former world number one Jon Rahm reject its new terms. The uncertainty surrounding the league’s future has forced players to look at their options elsewhere, knowing the current financial model is broken.
The DP World Tour Draws a Hard Line
While Niemann considers his exit, the path back to traditional tours is narrowing for everyone else. The DP World Tour has made its stance crystal clear regarding players who wish to remain in the breakaway league. On Monday, BBC Sport announced that the tour will reject LIV Golf players as members in 2027. This decision forces a binary choice for the remaining roster: stay with the restructured LIV circuit or return to the European tour to keep their eligibility for major events and team competitions.
Guy Kinnings, the chief executive of the DP World Tour, did not mince words in comments reported by BBC Sport. Representing a much stricter stance than the conditional releases that allowed multiple LIV players to compete on both circuits earlier this year, he stated that players “need to make a choice”.
Kinnings emphasized the rigidity of the situation, noting, “We have rules and regulations which are there to protect our tour and which our members must all abide by.” The implication is clear for anyone holding a LIV contract. Membership could be terminated immediately for players who fail to disclose their plans yet try to play LIV events.
This creates a high-stakes environment for European players like Tyrrell Hatton, Adrian Meronk, and Victor Perez, who currently hold status on both tours. They must decide before the November 16 deadline if they want to keep their spot on the DP World Tour for the 2027 season.
The situation is particularly complex for Joaquin Niemann. Unlike some of his European counterparts, he does not currently hold DP World Tour membership, which means a return would require going through qualifying school or securing specific tournament invitations. According to reports, such agreements would remain accessible solely to players not involved with LIV in the future.
With the league’s funding cut off by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the promise of guaranteed money that once lured top talent has evaporated. Now, players are looking at a future where they must compete for their livelihood rather than rely on a contract that may never materialize.
Ryder Cup Implications and the Road Ahead
The ripple effects of this turmoil extend directly to the Ryder Cup, the premier team event in golf. European captain Luke Donald faces a potential headache as the race for the six automatic qualification spots becomes a battle of attrition. Former Ryder Cupper David Howell spoke to National Club Golfer about the changing dynamics, noting that the path back is narrow.
“There’s an awareness that you can qualify from playing really good golf on our tour with only six spots, with the way our points are structured,” Howell told NCG. The structure favors those who can play consistently on the DP World Tour, which is now impossible for active LIV members.
However, the door isn’t entirely shut for those who can perform at an elite level. Howell added, “It’s doable, but you’ve got to play very well. You have to be a very good player,” he added. He tempered expectations for a mass return, stating, “You’re not going to have a scenario where four players come back from LIV and fill out those top six spots. That’s not going to be the case. I would say that’s not doable.”
This suggests that even if players like Niemann or Rahm were to return, they would need to dominate the tour to earn their place. The captain will have to pick the remaining six players, and he may find his pool of eligible talent severely reduced.
Adrian Meronk, currently playing for the Cleeks in LIV Golf, represents one of the few who might bridge the gap. Howell noted, “Will there be a few other names that join up? We’ll absolutely have to wait and see, but we’re hopeful that’ll be the case, for sure.”
The hope is that some players will realize the financial instability of LIV and make the switch back before the 2027 season begins. The next Ryder Cup is set for September 2027 at Adare Manor in Ireland, and the selection process starts now. Every week a player spends in the breakaway league brings them closer to being locked out of the European team.
The deadline of October 25 for LIV Golf to finalize its restructuring deal is the immediate countdown. If the league fails to secure the necessary financing or player commitments, the entire operation could collapse. For Joaquin Niemann, the decision to leave now might be the most prudent financial move he can make. He is already seeing out how much money he’ll get from what LIV owes him, according to the reporting from HANDICAP 54 on X.
Friends, I asked to another sources. For me, all of this is an open secret. As I see it, Joaco is leaving LIV Golf and is seeing out how much money he’ll get from what LIV owes him. And for that reason is why nothing is being said. No more than that.
— HANDICAP 54 (@handicap_54) October 12, 2026
With the league in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, getting paid could be a long and difficult battle. The next concrete step for the industry will be the November 16 deadline for DP World Tour membership sign-ups, a date that will determine the composition of the European team for the next two years.
