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09/08 16:48 CDT LIV Golf files for bankruptcy protection as it tries to survive in a smaller version LIV Golf files for bankruptcy protection as it tries to survive in a smaller version By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday in New Jersey with more than $500 million in debt, part of its goal to revive the league without Saudi funding. The move was widely expected after the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia abruptly ended its financial support after the final event of the 2026 season. LIV said it has agreed to a restructuring plan with BC Partners as the primary source of its capital. "This process gives us the structure and time to pursue a landmark transaction and begin the next chapter of LIV Golf," CEO Scott O'Neil said in a news release. O'Neil has said "LIV Golf 2.0" would feature players as majority owners in a reduced schedule. In a letter to LIV Golf fans, O'Neil said the new look would expand the size of the field from 57 to 75 players and introduce a 54-hole cut for the first time. He said the team concept would be built around nationalities and that LIV would continue to tap some of its more successful markets in Australia, South Africa and Asia. Still, the new version would be a shell of what LIV had been when it launched in June 2022 --- enormous signing bonuses to lure away top names from the PGA Tour, and excessive spending that topped more than $5 billion before PIF said in April it was pulling the plug. Still to be determined is the future of the biggest stars still with LIV, most notably Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. Rahm is playing the Irish Open this week and told BBC Northern Ireland: "I still have a contract with LIV 1.0 that I'm more than willing to fulfill. Like I said, time will tell." Rahm, DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith were the leading four creditors listed in the filing. LIV listed between $100 million and $500 million in estimated assets, and $500 million and $1 billion in liabilities. ___ See AP's full golf coverage here

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