LIV Golf should know its future by end of month, attorney says

An attorney representing the LIV Golf League told a federal bankruptcy court judge on Wednesday that the embattled tour should know by the end of the month whether it will be ceasing operations or moving forward with LIV 2.0. Attorney Robert Fitzgerald also told U.S. Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey Judge Michael B. Kaplan that the DP World Tour's recent decision to ban golfers from competing in both circuits next season is a "clear attempt to interfere" with LIV Golf's restructuring and raises anti-competitive concerns. On Monday, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings told BBC Sport that his circuit, unlike in the previous few seasons, won't give conditional status to golfers who join LIV Golf 2.0 in 2027. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton were members of both tours in the past, which allowed them to continue to compete for the European team in the Ryder Cup. Golfers must apply for DP World Tour membership by Nov. 16. "We're continuing to monitor this situation very closely, and we're quite concerned by it, frankly," Fitzgerald said. "We're reserving all rights and remedies and respect to these statements that are made. Frankly, the timing in particular strikes us as a clear attempt to interfere with our process, with our players, and potentially our reorganization writ large." Kaplan acknowledged that he'd read and heard Kinnings' comments and said they "do raise concerns." "It also raises a lot of the same anti-competitive concerns that LIV has expressed previously regarding the way competing leagues have sought to box out and punish market participants -- namely these players -- from participating in LIV and really only LIV," Fitzgerald said. "Player freedom is the reason LIV Golf was created, and it's the foundation of LIV Golf 2.0, a league built around its players. LIV has been vocal in its belief in free agency and that the best players should have greater flexibility to compete across the ecosystem. It's unfortunate that another tour is taking an opposite view and pressuring our players with a false choice." On Wednesday, Kaplan approved LIV Golf's motion to reject golfers' current contracts, which the league said, "do not reflect the contemplated compensation structure under LIV 2.0." LIV Golf claims the rejection of the current contracts is an important step in its restructuring and is necessary to negotiate new deals with those players for LIV 2.0. Kaplan also approved LIV Golf's amended restructuring support agreement, in which BC Partners would provide as much as $300 million in financing for LIV Golf 2.0, including an initial loan of $4 million to help keep operations going during the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. LIV Golf is attempting to entice golfers to stay for its second iteration by offering them equity in the revamped league. According to a term sheet filed with the bankruptcy court, go-forward ownership will equal 52.5% of equity to golfers, 45% to BC Partners and potential minority investors and 2.5% to management. Last week, Rahm's attorney told the court that the two-time major champion won't be part of LIV 2.0. Other golfers, including David Puig and Abraham Ancer, are also walking away, according to multiple reports. Other golfers, including Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Harold Varner III, had requested to be released from their LIV Golf contracts to explore other playing opportunities. Attorneys representing an ad hoc group of LIV golfers, which includes Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Lee Westwood, also appeared at Wednesday's hearing for the first time.