Sergio Garcia now has something that could prove particularly valuable as professional golf heads toward 2027: his freedom.
Garcia has received official notice that his LIV Golf contract has been terminated, clearing the 2017 Masters champion to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Lawyers for the 46-year-old Spaniard requested the formal resolution while LIV works through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in New Jersey.
The written termination matters because Garcia has remained a member of the DP World Tour despite joining LIV when the breakaway league launched in 2022. It also removes a potential legal obstacle should he eventually explore a return to the PGA Tour.
That freedom comes at a critical moment.
Garcia Is Free to Choose His Next Move
The DP World Tour has set a firm policy for next season that prevents golfers from playing on LIV and the European-based circuit at the same time. Meanwhile, if LIV successfully emerges from bankruptcy, the league expects to operate only a 10-event schedule in 2027. Such a limited calendar would leave many players looking for additional tournaments elsewhere.
Garcia no longer has to make that decision while tied to his previous LIV agreement.
His departure comes during a hectic period for LIV. New investor BC Partners Credit announced late Monday that it had completed a restructuring agreement and supplied $4 million to help LIV begin planning for the 2027 season. BC Partners is ultimately contracted to provide $300 million in funding.
“This investment is an important step forward for LIV Golf, and I want to thank Ted Goldthorpe and the entire BC Partners team for their conviction in what we’re building,” LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said in a statement. “We believe deeply in the future of this league and in the opportunity to build something distinctive alongside our players. We’re delivering on our major milestones, and while there is still work ahead, today marks meaningful progress.”
LIV Tears Up Its Old Contract Model
At the same time, LIV has rejected the existing player contracts of Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton and nearly everyone else on its roster. The move had been expected as part of the bankruptcy process.
It does not necessarily mean those golfers are leaving LIV.
Players whose contracts were rejected can negotiate new agreements with the league. But LIV is attempting to move away from the expensive contracts originally used to lure established stars away from the PGA Tour. After losing billions of dollars during its first five seasons, the organization is proposing a different structure built heavily around player equity. LIV has described its planned new model as one in which players would hold a majority stake in the business.
There is one particularly notable exception.
Jon Rahm’s contract was not rejected.
Instead, the agreement involving Rahm has been adjourned and is scheduled for a Nov. 5 hearing. The reason for treating his contract differently is unclear.
Rahm has become one of LIV’s most important players since joining ahead of the 2025 season. Along with DeChambeau, he remains among the league’s most recognizable players internationally, making his status especially important as LIV attempts to restructure its operation.
Garcia, meanwhile, faces a different situation because his old contract is now formally gone.
The PGA Tour Question Comes Into Focus
That could eventually put the PGA Tour back into the conversation.
The Tour has publicly maintained that it will not negotiate with golfers who remain legally contracted to LIV. Its concern is straightforward: negotiating with players still under contract could expose the Tour to allegations of tortious interference.
Garcia’s written termination removes that particular issue.
It does not, however, guarantee him a path back.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has repeatedly indicated that future LIV players seeking reinstatement should not expect the same arrangement as Brooks Koepka received. Koepka was permitted to resume playing PGA Tour events immediately while accepting financial penalties associated with his return.
Any arrangement involving Garcia could therefore look considerably different.
For now, Garcia has accomplished the first necessary step. He remains a DP World Tour member, is no longer bound by his LIV contract, and can consider his choices for 2027 without the contractual restrictions that previously complicated any move.
Whether that leads to a full-time future on the DP World Tour, negotiations with the PGA Tour, or another arrangement is still unresolved. But after four years tied to LIV, Garcia finally has the paperwork that lets him find out.
