Louis Oosthuizen leaving LIV Golf as league faces uncertain future, Oct. 25 deadline
· Yahoo Sports
Louis Oosthuizen appears set to become the latest big name to leave LIV Golf as the league approaches a critical deadline for its proposed reboot.
The 2010 British Open champion told the South China Morning Post ahead of this week’s Hong Kong Open that he plans to move on after more than four years with LIV. Oosthuizen was among the first players to join the breakaway circuit and competed in its inaugural event in June 2022.
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“I need to arrange my own schedule and look after my body,” the 44-year-old said.
Oosthuizen said the international travel required under LIV’s proposed, stripped-down schedule played a role in his decision.
“I want to play near one spot for three weeks at a time, not have all the big travelling for one tournament,” he said. “I loved LIV and the team aspect, but it’s time to move on.”
Oosthuizen remains listed as captain of Southern Guards GC on LIV’s website. Reuters said it contacted LIV for confirmation of his departure.
His decision would make him the latest prominent player to leave a league facing an uncertain future as it works through Chapter 11 bankruptcy and considers whether to move forward with a LIV 2.0 model.
Jon Rahm and Adrian Meronk are among the players who have already announced they won’t return in 2027. Rahm and LIV also reached an agreement terminating his contracts with the league. As part of the separation, Rahm gave up his claims against LIV’s bankruptcy estate, while LIV relinquished nearly all rights to use his name, image, likeness, trademarks and branding. Rahm also gained control of Legion XIII’s intellectual property and trademarks.
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau is among more than a dozen LIV players whose contracts have been rejected through the bankruptcy process, giving them the freedom to leave or potentially negotiate new deals for LIV 2.0.
Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Anthony Kim, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Lucas Herbert, Michael La Sasso, Danny Lee, David Puig, Bubba Watson, Dean Burmester, Luis Masaveu, Anirban Lahiri, Lee Westwood, Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters and Peter Uihlein also have had their contracts rejected.
That leaves DeChambeau as perhaps the biggest remaining question.
The two-time U.S. Open champion has not publicly said what he intends to do in 2027. After LIV’s season finale, DeChambeau fueled speculation with a cryptic social media post that read, “It was a good run.”
With Rahm gone and Oosthuizen now saying he’s leaving, retaining DeChambeau figures to be increasingly important to LIV’s future.
Players reportedly have until Oct. 25 to decide whether they will commit to LIV 2.0. BC Partners Credit has offered a $300 million investment if certain conditions are met, and LIV is expected to decide this month whether to wind down or move forward with a revamped league.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has backed LIV since its launch, said in April that it was cutting funding.
The departures, rejected contracts and looming Oct. 25 deadline have turned what once looked like an offseason of restructuring into a decision point for LIV’s future.
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek and the golf coordinator for the USA Today Network. Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Louis Oosthuizen leaving LIV Golf as league faces uncertain future, Oct. 25 deadline