Lawyer: LIV Golf Will Know Future By End Of October

A lawyer who represents LIV Golf told a federal bankruptcy court judge Wednesday that the league will know by the end of October whether or not its operations will continue.

Robert Fitzgerald, the attorney, also noted to U.S. Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey Judge Michael B. Kaplan that the recent decision from the DP World Tour to prohibit golfers from playing in both circuits in the 2027 season is a “clear attempt to interfere” with the restructuring of LIV Golf and causes anti-competitive concerns. (RELATED: Two-Time Major Champion Jon Rahm Exits LIV Golf In Huge Blow To Bankrupt League)

DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings spoke Monday with BBC Sport and said that his league, differing from the last few seasons, won’t provide conditional status to golfers who are a part of LIV Golf 2.0 in the 2027 campaign.

In the past, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton played in each tour, which permitted them to compete in the Ryder Cup for the European team. Golfers have to apply for membership to the DP World Tour by Nov. 16.

🚨👀⛳️ #BREAKING — Lawyers for the LIV Golf League said in bankruptcy court today that they “anticipate that the decision will be made by the end of the month” with regards to winding down or moving forward with LIV 2.0. They also expressed serious concern surrounding recent DPWT announcements regarding player bans: “We’re continuing to monitor this situation very closely, and we’re quite concerned by it, frankly..” “Frankly, the timing in particular strikes us as a clear attempt to interfere with our process, with our players, and potentially our reorganization…..” "Player freedom is the reason LIV Golf was created, and it’s the foundation of LIV Golf 2.0. …It’s unfortunate that another tour is taking an opposite view and pressuring our players with a false choice. And again, we’re reserving all rights in this respect…” Thoughts on the statements? (Via: @_DavidRumsey)

“We’re continuing to monitor this situation very closely, and we’re quite concerned by it, frankly,” said Fitzgerald, per ESPN. “We’re reserving all rights and remedies and respect to these statements that are made. Frankly, the timing in particular strikes us as a clear attempt to interfere with our process, with our players, and potentially our reorganization writ large.”

It was acknowledged by Kaplan that he read and heard the comments from Kinnings, saying they “do raise concerns.”

“It also raises a lot of the same anti-competitive concerns that LIV has expressed previously regarding the way competing leagues have sought to box out and punish market participants — namely these players — from participating in LIV and really only LIV,” said Fitzgerald.

“Player freedom is the reason LIV Golf was created, and it’s the foundation of LIV Golf 2.0, a league built around its players,” he continued. “LIV has been vocal in its belief in free agency and that the best players should have greater flexibility to compete across the ecosystem. It’s unfortunate that another tour is taking an opposite view and pressuring our players with a false choice.”