LIV Golf Players to Seek Options for 2027 Season
Professional golfers currently with LIV are exploring paths to compete in other leagues for the upcoming 2027 season.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Golf
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LIV Golf players are currently exploring professional opportunities outside of their existing league for the 2027 season. These players have expressed interest in pursuing paths that could potentially lead back to the PGA Tour.
Why it matters
Players are seeking these new opportunities to ensure professional flexibility should LIV Golf's current restructuring efforts fail to succeed. This movement marks a significant push for players looking to broaden their competitive horizons beyond the current league structure.
Professional players exploring new paths include multiple major winners, such as 33-year-old Cameron Smith and 42-year-old Dustin Johnson, who achieved 20 PGA Tour wins prior to joining LIV Golf. Younger participants include 25-year-old David Puig and 26-year-old Joaquin Niemann.
The players
Bryson DeChambeau
He is a prominent professional golfer known for his analytical approach to the sport and major championship success.
Tyrrell Hatton
He is a professional golfer who finished tied for third at the 2025 Masters and tied for seventh at the 2025 U.S. Open.
Dustin Johnson
He is a former world number one golfer who recorded 20 PGA Tour tournament victories before moving to LIV Golf.
Cameron Smith
He is an Australian professional golfer who earned a major title by winning The Open Championship.
David Puig
He is a young professional golfer who won the ISPS HANDA Australian Open after leaving the collegiate ranks.
The details
To regain PGA Tour eligibility, players must complete a mandatory one-year suspension and compete on the DP World Tour. As part of these broader industry shifts, Bryson DeChambeau plans to participate in a DP World Tour event in South Africa in December 2026.
Timeline
2022 was the year Joaquin Niemann and David Puig departed for LIV Golf.
2025 saw Tyrrell Hatton compete in both the Masters and the U.S. Open.
December 2026 is when Bryson DeChambeau is scheduled to play in a DP World Tour event.
2027 season is the timeframe for which players are exploring other league opportunities.
Season Trajectory
This collective interest in external opportunities signals a potential realignment in professional golf, impacting the competitive balance of future seasons. The shift suggests that established league loyalties may become more fluid as players prioritize long-term career eligibility.
Golf fans should anticipate potential changes to field compositions in DP World Tour events as players navigate suspension requirements. These roster shifts will affect standing projections for major tournaments throughout the 2027 season.
The takeaway
Professional golfers are prioritizing long-term career stability by proactively seeking options outside of LIV Golf. Readers should monitor upcoming DP World Tour tournament entries as a key indicator of which athletes are successfully navigating the path back to the PGA Tour.
Further reading
For more on the current landscape of the professional game, visit our Golf section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Elko Daily Free Press.
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