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The future of LIV Golf has never been more uncertain, and Bryson DeChambeau already has cooked up a Plan B.
It’s, um, interesting.
The two-time major winner could be a man without a country if LIV Golf ceases to exist. Recent developments have the league as it stands right now on life support. Saudi Arabia’s PIF is set to pull funding, and there’s no guarantee the league will be able to sustain itself after the 2026 season.
That’s unfortunate timing for DeChambeau, who was reportedly eying a new deal worth hundreds of millions. With a potential return to the PGA Tour also no guarantee, DeChambeau might already be setting his sights on … YouTube.
DeChambeau’s infatuation with YouTube is nothing new, and according to ESPN.com, the No. 29 player in the world is seriously considering putting even more time and effort into the endeavor.
Bryson DeChambeau Says YouTube, Not PGA Tour, Could Be Next Stop
“I think, from my perspective, I’d love to grow my YouTube channel three times, maybe even more,” he said while practicing for this week’s tournament, per ESPN.com. “I would love to. I’d d love to do a bunch of dubbing in different languages, giving the world more reason to watch YouTube. And then I’d love to play tournaments that want me.”
This is a slightly different tune from just a few days prior, when DeChambeau insisted he was committed to team golf. At this point, LIV is the only real place to do that.
“I’m committed to making team golf work in the best way possible. I think there’s a place for it in the ecosystem and I want to continue to grow the game across the world. That’s always been our mission and it’s never been more true than now.”
LIV CEO Scott O’Neill spoke to reporters ahead of LIV Golf Virginia at Trump National DC, and he sidestepped questions about DeChambeau’s murky future.
“Well, that’s an interesting question. I’m not sure,” he told reporters. “We’ll sort through and work through. Like I appreciate it, I appreciate the question. It’s just Bryson’s special. He’s different and special. You want to talk about a business partner, we’re literally talking about the future of LIV Golf, I’m talking with him about how does he see, not just the golf, but the business? He’s smart, he’s driven, he’s committed, and he’s a heck of a partner.”
Bryson DeChambeau Remains Big YouTube Draw
DeChambeau is one of YouTube’s most accomplished professional athletes. He currently has a staggering 2.69 million subscribers. His last five videos surpassed 1 million views, including a Masters video with 2.6 million views. DeChambeau’s “Break 50” video with President Donald Trump has more than 17 million views.
If DeChambeau was able to triple that subscriber count, the numbers would continue to skyrocket. Just how much that’s worth to DeChambeau will be the biggest question for him to answer. Undoubtedly, it’s a lucrative business for him, but with professional golf purses routinely north of $20 million, it’s going to be hard to give that up.
Of course, without a LIV contract extension, he could be in no man’s land. If the PGA Tour isn’t as willing to lay out the red carpet for a return — as they largely did with Brooks Koepka — it might work in DeChambeau’s benefit. He could lean into YouTube until the Tour opens up a pathway.
Then again, the 32-year-old is in his prime, and not playing full-time could hurt his chances to play for and win majors.
Mike Cole Mike Cole covers golf as well as the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans for Heavy.com. He previously worked at NESN where he covered Boston sports (and much more) for 15 years. More about Mike Cole