LIV Golf has accused the DP World Tour of a "clear attempt to interfere" with its restructuring process, after the European tour said it would refuse membership to anyone playing on the breakaway circuit next season. During a court hearing on Wednesday, the attorney representing LIV said the organisation was "quite concerned" by the stance taken by the rival tour. Rob Fitzgerald of Gibson Dunn also said LIV would know by the end of the month whether it could continue in a "LIV 2.0" guise.
Fitzgerald argued the timing raised anti-competitive concerns similar to those LIV had raised previously, claiming competing leagues were seeking to box out players from participating in LIV. The DP World Tour declined to comment on the statement, but its CEO, Guy Kinnings, told BBC Sport on Monday that "players need to make a choice," toughening the organisation's policy on playing across the tours. Previously, conditional releases had allowed top players, including Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, to play on both tours.
Judge Michael B. Kaplan, overseeing proceedings in the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court, said the comments he had read "do raise concerns." Fitzgerald said the two critical pieces for LIV 2.0 were structural, relating to investment from BC Partners, and having enough players for a bona fide golf league signed up by the 25th of the month. He anticipated a decision on whether LIV would wind down or go forward by the end of the month.
LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September after Saudi Arabia withdrew its multibillion-dollar funding. The organisation hopes to conclude its court-supervised restructuring in early 2027. During Wednesday's hearing, 19 player contracts, including those of Bryson De Chambeau and Dustin Johnson, were rejected. LIV now owes its participants at least $45m (£33m).
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing