SerpApi.Org
Joaquin Niemann expects to be a LIV Golf player in 2027 as things stand, as the clock ticks on the league's desperate pursuit for new investors.
The Chilean's eight wins are the most in the breakaway league's four-year history, racking up $76.4 million in on-course earnings in the process. But the days of lavish Saudi Arabian bankrolling are over, and the league needs to find new partners before the end of August to remain in operation next year.
LIV is searching for in the region of $300 million to stay afloat, but its chances of survival were dealt a significant blow on Tuesday when the Asian Tour announced it had entered a partnership with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
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The Asian Tour had been a pivotal partner for LIV since the league launched in 2022, serving as a feeder tour, which was crucial in its successful bid for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation.
It also provided opportunities for LIV members to play a comprehensive schedule.
LIV is staging its first tournament in seven weeks at JCB Golf & Country Club in Uttoxeter, England, this week, and Torque GC captain Niemann insisted at his press conference on Wednesday that he was not concerned by the Asian Tour turning its back on the league.
"It doesn't affect anything on my side," he said. "I feel like it's great what is happening. We all know that we opened the door to a lot more golf around the world, and I think what they're doing, the alliance, is definitely going to help to grow the game all over the world. It's great news, I think, for golf."
LIV's captains assembled for a meeting with CEO Scott O'Neil at JCB on Tuesday to get the latest on the search for investment, and Niemann was encouraged by what he heard.
"We had a nice meeting yesterday, as we always do almost every week," he said.
"Scott and his team are always trying to inform and let us know what they're doing the best he can possibly communicate with us, and we're always trying to get feedback on our opinions and thoughts on how to have a better product and hopefully have something bigger and better for next year.
"I would be interested to see this league continue and deliver for the world and golf because I think there's a lot of fans out there that they deserve this kind of tournament, this kind of field, these kind of players, and we've done it great so far. It's now time to restructure a little bit things and make it better."
Asked if he expects to be a LIV member in 2027 based on the messages he has received from O'Neil and his deputies, Niemann confidently replied: "Yeah."
It was a more convincing response than Jon Rahm offered when posed the same question at his press conference on Tuesday. He said: "I'm not going to share anything that I can't share with you guys right now," adding that he was "optimistic" about LIV's future.
