LIV Golf are likely to face a battle to keep a number of their players once it becomes clear what the future holds for the league beyond this season.
Those on LIV are still working to secure funding for the league as the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia plans to walk away later this year. It appears that the tour will look significantly different whatever happens from here.
It is not yet clear what options players will have when it comes to potentially walking away from LIV. But LIV’s hopes of keeping some of their brightest talents may have been dealt a blow following the Italian Open on the DP World Tour this past week.
Eugenio Chacarra’s success may not do LIV Golf many favours
Eugenio Chacarra currently holds a significant place in LIV history. The Spaniard remains the only player to secure their first professional victory at a LIV Golf event.
However, the 26-year-old left the league after the 2024 season having not been offered a new contract by the Fireballs.
Chacarra was initially forced to rely on sponsor invites to get into DP World Tour events. However, he has now won three times since the start of the 2025 season, and he now looks destined to secure his PGA Tour card for 2027.
He is now third in the Race to Dubai, behind only Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy.
That step from the European circuit to the PGA Tour is not an easy one. A number of players struggle to retain their cards across the Atlantic.
But Chacarra can take plenty of belief with him now that he has won three times. He has sent a message to those on LIV who felt that he was not worth holding onto.
The pathway he is on should also catch the eye of the younger players who are now worried about their futures.
LIV Golf events are not helping their players improve
There are few signs that playing on LIV helps a player improve. Not one single LIV player will make the cut at all four majors in 2026, while Tyrrell Hatton was the only representative of the league to finish in the top 30 at The Masters.
The younger players would be forgiven for looking at Chacarra and wondering whether they are developing at the rate they should be on LIV.
Obviously, the DP World Tour is nowhere near as strong as it once was. But Chacarra is going to be better off Stateside because of these experiences of winning.
There will surely be some on LIV who wish they were now on a similar path given how uncertain the league’s future remains.
