LIV Golf secures potential $300m financing from BC Partners Credit

LIV Golf has secured a potential $300m financing commitment from BC Partners Credit as part of its court-supervised Chapter 11 restructuring in the United States, the organisation said on 6 October 2026. The funding is being presented as a step to enable progress toward a 2027 season amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.

LIV was founded in 2021, with its first season taking place the following year. The league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September after Saudi Arabia withdrew its multibillion-dollar funding, triggering a court-supervised restructuring process that LIV hopes to complete in early 2027. It is not yet clear how much of the $300m would be needed to start the 2027 schedule or which players would begin that season.

Participants in the competition are owed at least $45m (£33m) and have the option to leave, and the agreement around the financing secures an extension for the league to discuss terms with its players, with talks now open until 25 October. BBC Sport understands there is no obligation on players to sign on to LIV 2.0, regardless of whether they had previously signed multi-year contracts with LIV Golf. League insiders described the committed investment as a "significant" step forward in the court-supervised restructuring process.

"Our goal is to facilitate LIV Golf's emergence from the restructuring process on sound financial footing and with renewed momentum heading into the 2027 season," said Ted Goldthorpe, partner and head of BC Partners Credit, in a statement. BC Partners Credit, which provides financing to middle-market companies, said the funding would support the next phase of LIV Golf. The financing remains subject to bankruptcy court approval and customary conditions.

"This investment is an important step forward for LIV Golf," said LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil in a statement. "We're delivering on our major milestones, and while there is still work ahead, today marks meaningful progress toward a player-owned, team-focused, truly global league that complements the wider game and creates new opportunities for players, fans, partners, and the next generation of golfers." The credit firm said that under the next phase players would become equity owners of both the league and its teams.

Since LIV's launch in 2021 more than $5bn (£3.7bn) has been spent by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), with major winners including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau attracted by lucrative contracts and large prize funds. The future of the concept and its leading players has been uncertain following the early end to the 2026 season.

Petition documents filed in the bankruptcy proceedings list the 30 largest unsecured claims against LIV Golf. Two-time major winner Rahm tops that list with an unsecured claim of $7.5m (£5.5m); DeChambeau is listed at $5.7m (£4.2m); Dustin Johnson $5.5m (£4.1m); Cameron Smith $4.8m (£3.5m); and Tyrrell Hatton $3.4m (£2.5m). Brooks Koepka, who left to rejoin the PGA Tour in January, has an unsecured claim of $1.7m (£1.25m), and the total amount owed to the 14 current and former LIV players in the top 30 creditors is just over $45m (£33m). A source familiar with the figures told BBC Sport the creditors list outlines the "amount owed and not paid for Q3" of 2026, not the full amounts.

The proposed BC Partners Credit financing remains conditional on bankruptcy court approval and customary closing requirements, and LIV's restructuring timetable aims for completion in early 2027. PIF is providing a bankruptcy loan of $49.6m (£36.6m) in 'debtor in possession' (DIP) financing to help fund the process, while talks with players will continue under the extension until 25 October.