With LIV Golf still in its infancy, there are inevitably going to be a series of unprecedented events which take place over the next few years, with some of their key players potentially involved.
LIV Golf was such a shock to the system because of how many things they did differently to the PGA Tour, including signing players to multi-year contracts.
It is going to be fascinating to see what happens when those contracts expire. Meanwhile, there is going to come a point where at least one top player decides that they would prefer to play on the PGA Tour rather than LIV.
Ultimately, when so many players made the jump with little idea of what LIV would grow into, there is almost certainly going to be someone who feels that the grass is not greener based on their various priorities, even if they prove to be in the minority.
Scott O’Neil responds to being asked about the futures of Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka
There were reports that Jon Rahm regretted his decision to join LIV last year – which seems to have been wide of the mark. Meanwhile, Brooks Koepka surprisingly admitted that LIV has not made the amount of progress that they would have hoped for earlier this season.
Losing Bryson DeChambeau or Jon Rahm would be a huge blow to the league. Similarly, Brooks Koepka or Phil Mickelson returning to the PGA Tour would be a big problem for LIV.
But when asked on The Rick Shiels Golf Show about the contract situations of DeChambeau, Koepka and Mickelson, Scott O’Neil hinted that he is not too worried about losing any star names anytime soon.
“I would never want to give you some specifics but I will give you some anecdotes,” he said.
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“In Miami we had a lot of families come in. We have a very diverse talent pool, I think we have 19 countries but we have a fair amount from the US. Even some born outside the country live in the golf capital of the world in Florida.
“And we had a lot of wives, I would say no fewer than a dozen come up independently and unsolicited and say that ‘my husband has never been happier. Whatever you are doing, keep doing it’.
“I would say of the players that are up this year, everyone wants to be back and have those conversations.
“If you are a LIV Golf fan, I would have very little concern as to what is happening. It’s good, conversations are going very well.”
O’Neil heaps praise on Bryson DeChambeau amid question marks over his LIV Golf future
It is surely fair to say that no one single player could have a bigger impact on the future of LIV by leaving than DeChambeau.
Along with Koepka, he is one of the only players to have won a major since joining LIV. The Crushers captain is also one of the most popular players in the world right now.
And O’Neil is under no illusions just how important DeChambeau is to LIV and its future.
“He has been pretty public about his desire to come back. And, boy, Bryson. What an ambassador for the game. I would say that a lot of things impress me about a lot of players and I have been around a lot of big stars in my life. I have never seen one quite like him who does it when the lights and the cameras are off. That is what I love,” he added.
“He puts his money where his mouth is. It is not an accident how good he is. I know he is notorious for his professor like tweaking but man does he work his tail off. What he does with fans is so special.
“He said to me once that Arnold Palmer said write your name so they can read it, he has repeated that two or three times. So when you watch him sign an autograph, even when he’s walking down this whole row of screaming kids, he stops, he engages each one and signs this beautiful autograph they can read. He is special.
“We are in Dallas and he is very passionate about LIV and this event.
“He said how are sales going in Dallas? I said they’re good. He said what can I do to help? I have some ideas, let me have my team get to you. He came up with a social campaign that he ran that got more people here than otherwise would have been here. He sold 8500 tickets by literally being Bryson.
“For me it was just a message to the world. He is different and special and wonderful and I hope the more people get to know him the better off it is.”
LIV has shown that it can survive up against the PGA Tour over the last few years. Their next challenge is to show that it can kick on and help players develop into some of the world’s best.
Holding onto their biggest names right now appears to be absolutely vital.
