2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen leaves LIV Golf as players exit
In short
South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Championship winner, said he is leaving LIV Golf, calling it the hardest decision of his life. Korean outlets, citing the BBC, report he is expected to return to the DP World Tour next season, while LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States after Saudi Arabia's PIF stopped its support.
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Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, who won the Open Championship in 2010, is leaving LIV Golf. Korean outlets, citing the BBC, reported on 22 October Korean time that he wrote on social media that he would leave LIV Golf and that it was the hardest decision of his life. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Oosthuizen is 44. He said he believes he has a few more years in which he can play competitive golf, and that to stay competitive he wants a schedule he can control. Yonhap and Asia Economy say he is expected to return to the DP World Tour next season. Newsis reports that he joined LIV Golf in 2022. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap and Asia Economy note that besides winning the 2010 Open, Oosthuizen finished runner-up in the four major championships five times and reached fourth in the world rankings. [ 1 , 3 ]
He is the latest player to go. Yonhap and Asia Economy list Sergio Garcia and David Puig of Spain, Thomas Pieters of Belgium, Abraham Ancer of Mexico and Adrian Meronk of Poland as having left LIV Golf. Both also say former world number one Jon Rahm of Spain announced last week that he was parting ways with the league. [ 1 , 3 ]
Yonhap and Asia Economy say LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States after Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the PIF, stopped supporting it. Newsis says LIV Golf lost PIF funding from next season and that events were cancelled or scaled back this season. The DP World Tour is also pressing players, saying those who stay with LIV Golf will not get DP World Tour membership next season, according to Yonhap and Asia Economy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The outlets differ on LIV Golf's funding plans. Yonhap says LIV Golf has secured $300 million from the investment firm BC Partners Credit to keep running tournaments next season and is looking for players to join in equity investment. Newsis, citing the BBC, says LIV Golf is leaving open the possibility of securing about $300 million from BC Partners Credit to play the 2027 season. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
Oosthuizen joins several other golfers who have left LIV Golf, which the outlets say has lost the backing of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. The DP World Tour is pressing players who stay with LIV Golf, saying they would not get membership next season.
Key facts
- Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, the 2010 Open Championship winner, announced on social media that he is leaving LIV Golf. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Oosthuizen, 44, said it was the hardest decision of his life; Newsis says he joined LIV Golf in 2022. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He is expected to return to the DP World Tour next season. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Sergio Garcia, Thomas Pieters, Abraham Ancer, David Puig and Adrian Meronk have also left LIV Golf, and Jon Rahm announced his departure last week. [ 1 , 3 ]
- LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States after Saudi Arabia's PIF stopped supporting it. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The DP World Tour is pressing players who stay with LIV Golf, saying they will not get DP World Tour membership next season. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Oosthuizen is leaving LIV Golf, according to his own social media post as reported by Korean outlets. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Garcia, Pieters, Ancer, Puig and Meronk have left LIV Golf, and Rahm announced his departure last week. [ 1 , 3 ]
- LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 protection in the United States after the PIF stopped its support. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether LIV Golf has secured $300 million from BC Partners Credit for next season. Yonhap says LIV Golf has secured the funds and is looking for players to co-invest; Newsis, citing the BBC, says it is only leaving open the possibility of securing them.
- Whether Oosthuizen will play on the DP World Tour next season. Yonhap and Asia Economy say only that he is expected to return; no document reports a confirmed decision.