LIV Golf’s looming chapter did not forestall the embattled tour from paying out huge bonuses to executives earlier than submitting for Chapter 11 in September.
The tour paid $15.6 million to retain seven of its executives, together with $6.375 million to CEO Scott O’Neil, within the months between Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund saying it was ending monetary assist and LIV formally declaring chapter.
The funds are a part of a trove of paperwork filed late Thursday in US Chapter Court docket in New Jersey. That cache of filings included 129 funds to collectors within the 90 days earlier than LIV’s chapter submitting and $26 million to Jon Rahm within the yr earlier than the September 8 submitting.
One other cost within the earlier yr was to Greg Norman, who left as LIV’s first CEO in January 2025. He was paid a $5.8 million settlement and a $3.6 million bonus on September 26, 2025.
LIV Golf is making an attempt to emerge from chapter with out the monetary muscle of the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia, which spent upward of $5 billion for the reason that rival league launched in June 2022 and provided nine-figure bonuses to prime PGA and European tour gamers.
BC Companions Credit score has pledged as much as $300 million to again what’s being known as ‘LIV 2.0.’ Key to that’s gamers staying with the league, and already a variety of prime gamers — Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Adrian Meronk and rising Spaniard David Puig — have separated from LIV agreements or indicated they’re leaving.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan the Chairman of the PIF Fund of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Greg Norman, who left as LIV’s first CEO in 2025. He was paid a $5.8 million settlement
The tour paid $15.6 million to retain seven of its executives, together with $6.375 million to CEO Scott O’Neil, within the months between shedding funding and declaring chapter
It is common for firms going by way of chapter to compensate prime executives to get by way of the method. Paperwork present David Phillipps, the chief monetary officer, obtained a $3.37 million retention cost and John Ruzich, the chief authorized officer, obtained $2.6 million, each on June 24. That is additionally when O’Neil was paid his $6.375 million.
O’Neil, the previous president of Madison Sq. Backyard, additionally obtained a $2.7 million bonus on February 13, two weeks earlier than the beginning of the Iran battle and two months earlier than PIF’s board accepted a brand new funding technique that led to LIV Golf’s funding ending after the 2026 season.
Cost to gamers embrace Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau (almost $13.9 million), Dustin Johnson ($10.7 million) and Cameron Smith and Bubba Watson, each round $2.5 million.
Though Rahm did get some cash, the Spaniard nonetheless determined to go away the tour with a reported $100 million left to be paid to him by LIV. He additionally waived a $7.5 million declare for unpaid dues, in accordance with the Chapter 11 submitting.
LIV additionally faces two lawsuits for unpaid companies. Canadian-based Mobbi Techniques Group is looking for greater than $1 million for supplying LIV’s ‘Any Shot, Any Time’ characteristic on broadcasts. Additionally, Colorado-based Recent Tape Media seeks $1.2 million for producing LIV’s media preview days.
Each are listed among the many 129 collectors with unsecured claims.
O’Neil was requested at LIV’s ultimate occasion in August about Recent Tape Media and different firms that have not been paid and the way he would entice new companies going ahead.
‘What I might say to them is we’re doing every little thing we will to verify we will do proper by them and the work they dedicated, and I hope we will,’ he mentioned. ‘For the following era, it should actually be a distinct enterprise with a distinct course of.’
Cost to gamers embrace Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau (almost $13.9 million), Dustin Johnson (pictured, $10.7 million) and Cameron Smith and Bubba Watson, each round $2.5 million
The collectors listed in courtroom paperwork point out the price and expanse of LIV’s tournaments around the globe with 13 groups, together with music being performed throughout the spherical and live shows afterward.
Among the many claims is $178,087.50 for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; $105,018.06 for Applause App High quality; $18,948.00 to Thailand-based Fenix Attire and Equipment; and $35,416.66 to broadcaster Jerry Foltz.
LIV’s chapter continuing has a November 5 listening to within the chapter courtroom. BC Companions initially set a Sunday deadline for gamers to determine if they’re on board for LIV 2.0, although that deadline might be prolonged below an amended restructuring settlement.
The brand new model is aiming for prize funds of about $9 million — down from $20 million for particular person purses — with at the very least 10 tournaments and a deal with crew golf.
