On Monday, the DP World Tour made a declaration that could prove to be the death knell for LIV Golf. The tour said that any player who signed on to play with LIV next year would be banned from DP World Tour events in 2027.
The move put any player considering signing on for LIV 2.0 in a difficult position. Either you play on LIV in 2027 or you play on the DP World Tour. You can’t do both.
On Tuesday, a current LIV Golf pro faced questions for the first time since the DP World Tour’s LIV ban came to light.
That player was Anirban Lahiri. In his press conference ahead of the 2026 DP World India Championship, the two-time DP World Tour winner did not announce his LIV departure, as some other players have done recently.
But his responses in light of the DP World Tour’s decision suggest his LIV future, and the future of LIV itself, are in doubt.
Even before the DP World Tour announced its LIV Golf ban, the league was in dire straits.
Several LIV Golf pros have fled the league since it filed for bankruptcy in September. The most notable, of course, is Jon Rahm. Rahm, who won the last three LIV individual season titles, made his decision known in LIV bankruptcy court, where his lawyers declared he “will not be participating going forward in LIV 2.0.”
Other players took a more careful approach. Take Sergio Garcia. The 2017 Masters champion officially terminated his LIV Golf contract in court. But Garcia made it clear that does not mean he won’t sign on for LIV 2.0.
Instead, he publicly spoke about potentially playing on both LIV and the DP World Tour in 2027. That was an option many other LIV players appeared to be considering, too.
But thanks to the DP World Tour’s Monday announcement banning LIV pros from its events, that is no longer an option. Now that players have to choose between playing for sharply reduced purses on LIV Golf next year, or joining the DP World Tour full time, signing on with LIV 2.0 has become a far less desirable option.
In his press conference on Tuesday, Lahiri implied he hadn’t made a decision on where to play in 2027.
“The situation is very dynamic. A lot of things going on. It’s hard for me to comment on it, also because, you know, it’s a matter of seeing how the processes work out,” Lahiri began.
He said his focus right now is on this week’s tournament, the DP World India Championship, a tournament Lahiri would be barred from next year if he chooses to stick with LIV.
“As for me, I’m just focusing on playing this week. I’m here for the DP World Tour India Championship. I’m excited how I play this week. I think my focus and energies are going to be in the here and now and next week I’m playing in Hong Kong and then I do have the Philippine Open on my schedule, by which time I think we will know,” Lahiri said.
As for when he will make his decision, Lahiri said all will be revealed in a month or so.
“I think my only message to everyone who is going to have questions regarding this is you have been patient so far. Just give it another month, month and a half, and everyone will know exactly what’s happening one way or the other.”
Until then, he’s not going to give any credence to “rumors” about what may happen with LIV 2.0.
“So, yeah, that’s all I would like to say on that. LIV has been great for me and I’ve enjoyed it. Would I like for it to continue? Why not. But we don’t have a crystal ball so let’s see where it goes,” Lahiri explained. “So the reality is that the one thing I learned in the last four, four and a half years is until something has actually happened it’s not happening. It’s just been a cycle that’s been on repeat. People say things that are rumors, this is believed, this is believed. Somebody else is doing that. It just continues, and then something totally different happens.”
One thing Lahiri did not do is commit to LIV 2.0. He also revealed that his final decision of where to play next year will be based on what is best for his family.
“For me I’m going to do what I need to do. My time was well spent with my family focused on my own wellbeing, their wellbeing. I love playing golf. I believe I have a lot of gas left in the tank, a lot more that I want to achieve, and I’m going to continue to work my hardest to be the best golfer I can,” Lahiri said. “Where I play is going to be based on the best interest of my family and myself. When that opportunity or option is put in front of me I’ll exercise the best option.”
He went on to imply there are “a lot of things happening” that he is not able to share with the public right now. For now, he’s waiting until all his options are “in front” of him to make his decision.
“There is a lot of things happening which I’m not privy to share. Like I said, I’m going to make my decision when my options are in front of me, and the decisions will be based on what I believe is in the best interest of my family and myself,” he said. “Whatever option allows me to balance that with where I find myself in my life is what I’m going to do.”
The post ‘Situation is very dynamic’: LIV pro breaks silence on league’s dire future appeared first on Golf.
