In the coming weeks, we should have a good idea of whether LIV Golf survive to see 2027. If the league receives enough player commitments, LIV 2.0 can move forward very well with a limited schedule and limited purses.
But many LIV stars have already announced or at least signaled their departures from the league.
Although LIV 2.0 is moving forward, the league is still at risk of losing its most successful tournament to date: LIV Golf Adelaide in Australia.
This reality came to light this week, when an Australian politician issued a warning to LIV Golf during an interview on Australian radio station SENsaying that he “will not go through with LIV” if the league fails to get enough star players to commit to the 2027 season.
LIV Golf makes an ultimatum about the Australian tournament
Since the inaugural game in 2023, LIV Golf Adelaide has been one of the league’s biggest successes.
With fewer opportunities to see top golfers compete than golf fans in the US or Europe, Australian golf fans have embraced the event, with attendance expected to reach 115,000 in 2026.
But if those star players choose not to join LIV 2.0, they will not be on the course at any future LIV Golf Adelaide events. And if this is the case, the tournament may not happen at all.
The premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas has fulfilled this judgment in his recent interview on SEN radio. Adelaide is the capital of the Australian state of South Australia. As a starter, Malinauskas has a lot of influence on the future of the LIV Adelaide tournament.
In his SEN interview, Malinauskas said that they are “closely monitoring” the latest developments with LIV 2.0, despite the league’s confidence in the future.
“It’s complicated. LIV Golf officially tells us it’s all systems go here. But we’re monitoring it pretty closely,” Malinauskas told SEN.
Then explain that the participation of star players likes Bryson DeChambeau and Australian major champion Cam Smith was essential to making the Adelaide event a success.
“What happens with the players will be the most instructive result here,” Malinauskas said. “It’s very important for us to keep the likes of Cam Smith and Bryson DeChambeau in that game list; that supports the success of the event. It’s something we monitor closely just to see how it develops.”
Then Malinauskas made his warning to LIV clear, revealing that they will not “go through” with the tournament if they do not maintain the “standard of the event” by keeping the star players in their ranks.
“We will not go through with LIV unless they set the standard of the event that they have done in the past, which has been really outstanding,” warned Malinauskas. “We’ll know for sure in the next two or three weeks.”
LIV Golf’s 2 biggest tournaments at risk
The bad news about LIV Golf Adelaide comes on the heels of bad news about one of its other big 2026 hits: LIV Golf South Africa.
The South Africa event debuted this season and attracted tens of thousands of fans to Steyn City Golf Course. The enthusiasm of the fans overflowed as LIV’s South African team, the Southern Guards, competed for the team victory, finishing in second place.
In his most recent public comments at LIV’s season finale in Indianapolis, CEO Scott O’Neil acknowledged the success of the Adelaide and South Africa tournaments and argued that these two events will be a crucial part of LIV 2.0.
“We also have to rely much more on what we have learned from the works. Our biggest events tell us that, and you don’t have to look too far from Adelaide to see, because what is happening in Australia with Ripper GC is like something that is really special. 115,000 fans this year, the most in the history of the country for a golf event said in August.” “You go to South Africa with the Southern Guards and over 100,000 people show up. They sing the National Anthem on the 18th fairway. It’s just special and different and younger and different.”
But the Southern Guards have recently lost their biggest players.
Last week, team captain and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen announced his departure from LIV in an emotional statement on social media. Southern Guards teammate and two-time PGA Tour winner Branden Grace is also leaving LIV.
Without the biggest South African golfers playing, the LIV South Africa event could struggle to attract the large crowds it has gathered in 2026. Making matters worse are the departures of other LIV stars, such as Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
With stars fleeing and their two biggest tournaments now in jeopardy, LIV Golf’s future is becoming more precarious by the day.
