LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil received a retention bonus of $6.375 million on June 24, less than three months before the tour filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 8, according to court records filed in New Jersey.
Between Sept. 12, 2025, and Aug. 28, 2026, O'Neil was paid over $13.6 million in payroll, bonuses, benefits and expense reimbursements. His predecessor, Greg Norman, received more than $9.4 million upon departure, including a $5.8 million settlement and a $3.6 million bonus.
Court records show LIV Golf paid roughly $15.6 million in retention payments to top executives. CFO David Phillips received over $3.3 million, and chief legal officer John Ruzich took in about $2.6 million.
The league reported assets between $100 million and $500 million against liabilities of $500 million to $1 billion. Judge Michael B. Kaplan approved a restructuring deal with BC Partners, which could provide up to $300 million in financing for LIV Golf 2.0, including an initial $4 million loan to sustain operations during bankruptcy.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing