LIV Golf have made some strides towards the creation of LIV 2.0.

Serious doubts remain about whether the tour will still exist in 2027, with news that many of its top stars plan to leave for the DP World Tour next season. Without Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, Sergio Garcia, and Tyrrell Hatton, who is left on a tour that relies so heavily on star power? 

Meanwhile, LIV Golf is bankrupt and planning a new tour for next season, bringing on as many players as possible. The tour recently took a major step toward making this possible when 19 LIV golfers had their contracts rejected. 

This effectively means they are now free to decide whether to re-sign with LIV 2.0 or take their talents elsewhere. Rahm, Garcia, and the other players who have declared their desire to leave were not among those whose contracts were rejected, but four major winners are among the names.

The four major winners who can re-sign with LIV Golf

The list of 19 players whose LIV Golf contracts were rejected includes only a few of the biggest names on the tour. With Rahm and others out the door, there are only a few names who can realistically re-sign for the new project.

Bryson DeChambeau is by far the biggest name. He’s been openly supportive of the LIV Golf project and said he’s going to do everything he can to help LIV 2.0 come to fruition. 

Cameron Smith is the next biggest name on the list, though his commitment to LIV Golf in 2027 has been called into question. Reports say he’s considering following Rahm to the DP World Tour but is still undecided. 

How costly has Jon Rahm’s decision to join LIV Golf been for his career?

His lawyer has announced he will not be involved with LIV 2.0

The other two major winners are well past their prime, but still carry some relative star power compared to the other names on the list. The first is Dustin Johnson, who didn’t even show up to the meeting between LIV players and investors at LIV Indianapolis in August and doesn’t seem to fully understand what is going on. He could well re-sign for LIV 2.0. 

Bubba Watson is the final major winner who could return. The 47-year-old finished 39th in the individual standings last season, as the two-time Masters winner fell to 418th in the Official World Golf Rankings. 

The notable names don’t stop there, as Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are also among those whose contracts were rejected. They, too, are considering returning to the DP World Tour as many European players look to reintegrate with the Ryder Cup, but nothing is confirmed yet. 

But even if all 19 players commit to LIV 2.0 next season, that doesn’t exactly make up a golf tour. They have a long way to go if they want to fill even a small field in their first event next year.