LIV Golf Files for Bankruptcy Protection in US Court

LIV Golf, the breakaway golf tour that spent billions of dollars recruiting top players away from the PGA Tour and triggered deep divisions within professional golf, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, according to a report by The Guardian.

The filing was made at a court in New Jersey, the report said. It comes months after LIV Golf lost the backing of its Saudi Arabian investors, who had funded the tour since its launch.

According to the report, the bankruptcy filing indicates that LIV Golf intends to restructure its operations and return in a new form, with the organization describing the move as an effort to "begin the next chapter."

Among those listed as creditors in the filing are professional golfers Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, the report said. These players were among the marquee names who left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf after its launch.

LIV Golf's establishment had triggered significant division within the sport of golf, as the tour used substantial financial resources to attract established players away from traditional tours. The Guardian's report did not provide further detail on the specific terms of the bankruptcy filing or the amounts owed to creditors.

The Guardian noted that the loss of Saudi financial backing earlier this year preceded the bankruptcy filing, though further details on the circumstances of that withdrawal were not specified in the available reporting.