If LIV 2.0 – u Scott O’Neil, CEO of the post-bankruptcy league, hopes to debut in 2027. – is to get off the ground, he needs the best players to sign. Without them, new investment and interest in the league are threatened.
But this week has seen a flurry of departures from LIV Golf, with many players declaring they will not play in LIV 2.0 in 2027.
On Thursday, LIV took another hit in the player commitment department, with the young phenom David Puig announcing that he has not signed on to play at LIV next year.
Here’s what you need to know.
David Puig leaves LIV for DP World Tour: “It’s a decision I made”
Puig is a 24-year-old Spaniard, and unlike most LIV stars, he has spent his entire career with the league.
After playing college golf at Arizona State, Puig played in two LIV events as an amateur, including the inaugural event in England in 2022. In September of that year he turned pro and officially signed with LIV.
Puig’s best results in LIV’s individual season ranking came in the last two years, when he finished 10th in 2025 and nine in 2026.
And although he’s never won an LIV tournament, Puig has racked up some wins elsewhere in recent years.
He captured his first professional victory at the 2023 International Series Singapore event on the Asian Tour, and followed it up with another Asian Tour victory in 2024 at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open.
After last year, Puig won his biggest triumph ever, win the 2025 BMW Australian PGA Championship for his first DP World Tour victory.
It was at another DP World Tour event on Thursday that Puig revealed his decision to leave LIV and instead play a full season in Europe in 2027.
At the Open de Espana, Puig told reporters: “I don’t see myself playing in the LIV 2.0. It’s a decision I made. I hope to play the European Tour next year, which I really like, with a more complete schedule.”
Puig joins other Spanish stars to leave LIV Golf
Puig is not the only Spanish professional to announce his intention to leave LIV Golf this week.
On Wednesday, the news broke two-time major champion Jon Rahm will not play at LIV in 2027via a statement from LIV’s bankruptcy court attorney. The same court allowed Sergio Garcia to officially terminate his contract with LIV Golf, a request that Garcia’s lawyers had made last week.
In his own Open de Espana press conference this week, Garcia said “I think everything is an option” when it comes to his future playing career.
He also left the door open for a PGA Tour return, saying, “It’s definitely a possibility.”
But he also noted that a PGA Tour Champions career would be more likely.
“I’m 47 in January, and the Champions Tour is a possibility,” Garcia said Wednesday. “Also, I would like the opportunity to play some of those tournaments, especially the big ones of the Champions Tour. They are things that I am starting to consider at my age.”
Hours after Rahm’s LIV departure came to light, another report said LIV pro Adrian Meronk, who just won the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last week, had “no intention of extending his contract” with LIV.