LIV Golf Ends Upfront Payments Amid Major Changes

LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed league, has informed its players that contract renewals will no longer include the massive upfront signing bonuses that initially attracted stars like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau. This policy change, which narrows the earnings gap with the PGA Tour, casts uncertainty over the futures of top players whose lucrative contracts are expiring soon. Notably, Jon Rahm's recent $300–$450 million deal is now an exception, as he signed before the new rules took effect. The move comes as LIV faces challenges such as the lack of official world golf ranking (OWGR) points for its players and ongoing talks of a possible merger with the PGA Tour. The end of large signing bonuses marks a fundamental shift in LIV's recruitment strategy and could reshape the landscape of professional golf.