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LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 filings reveal a stark split in the months before its September 8, 2026 bankruptcy: seven executives received $15.6 million in retention payments, while contractors and vendors filed millions of dollars in unpaid or disputed claims. CEO Scott O’Neil received a $6.375 million retention payment and an approximately $2.7 million February bonus. Players were also paid substantial sums under their contracts, including $26 million to Jon Rahm in the year before filing. The filings document payments and claims, but do not establish that any payment was improper or what creditors will ultimately recover.
Why did LIV Golf pay executives before filing bankruptcy?
The executive payments were described as retention payments, designed to keep key management in place during a period of financial instability. U.S. Bankruptcy Court documents reported by the Associated Press show that seven executives received $15.6 million before LIV and affiliated companies sought Chapter 11 protection.
The payments came as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was ending the financial support that had funded LIV. The Associated Press reported that the PIF had spent more than $5 billion on LIV since the league launched in June 2022. The filings do not say that the retention payments caused the bankruptcy; they show that the payments occurred while the business was approaching a restructuring.
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said, in response to questions about unpaid vendors: “For the next generation, it will certainly be a different business with a different process.”
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How much money did Scott O’Neil and other executives receive?
The largest individual retention payment listed in the reports went to O’Neil. The figures below come from 2026 bankruptcy disclosures and contemporaneous reporting; they represent payments, not court findings that the amounts were improper.
| Recipient | Payment | Timing and type |
|---|---|---|
| Scott O’Neil, CEO | $6.375 million | Retention payment on June 24, 2026 |
| David Phillipps, CFO | $3.37 million | Retention payment on June 24, 2026 |
| John Ruzich, chief legal officer | $2.6 million | Retention payment on June 24, 2026 |
| Seven executives combined | $15.6 million | Retention payments disclosed in the bankruptcy filings |
| Scott O’Neil | Approximately $2.7 million | Bonus paid in February 2026 |
| Scott O’Neil | More than $13.6 million | Total payroll, bonuses, benefits, retention payments and expenses from September 2025 through August 2026 |
Greg Norman, who had already left the CEO role, received $5.8 million as a settlement and a $3.6 million bonus on September 26, 2025. Separate financial disclosures reported by GolfMagic put Norman’s total September 2025 payments at $9.4 million.
Did LIV Golf players get paid before the bankruptcy?
The filings list large player payments during the year before the September 8 filing. These amounts are reported payments under player arrangements, not unsecured creditor claims or judgments that the players were favored unlawfully.
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| Player | Reported payment in the year before filing | Status in the reports |
|---|---|---|
| Jon Rahm | $26 million | Payment listed in U.S. bankruptcy filings |
| Bryson DeChambeau | Nearly $13.9 million | Payment listed in U.S. bankruptcy filings |
| Dustin Johnson | $10.7 million | Payment listed in U.S. bankruptcy filings |
| Cameron Smith | About $2.5 million | Payment listed in U.S. bankruptcy filings |
| Bubba Watson | About $2.5 million | Payment listed in U.S. bankruptcy filings |
The comparison with vendors is therefore about legal status and timing: players received contract-related payments, while suppliers and contractors were asserting unsecured amounts that still had to be reviewed in the bankruptcy case.
Which LIV Golf vendors said they were not paid?
Several companies filed claims for work performed for LIV. The reported amounts are claims, and some are identified as disputed or unsecured; they are not proof that every dollar will be allowed or paid.
| Creditor | Amount claimed | Work or service described |
|---|---|---|
| Mobii Systems | More than $1 million | LIV’s “Any Shot, Any Time” broadcast feature |
| Fresh Tape Media | About $1.2 million | Media preview production |
| Fantasy Interactive | $992,870.75 | App and website work |
| ASCAP | $178,087.50 | Claim listed in creditor documents |
| Applause App Quality | $105,018.06 | Claim listed in creditor documents |
| Fenix Apparel and Accessories | $18,948 | Claim listed in creditor documents |
| Jerry Foltz | $35,416.66 | Broadcaster claim |
The Associated Press also reported 129 creditor payments made during the 90 days before the filing. That payment list and the creditor claims provide a snapshot of cash movement, not a final determination of which obligations rank highest or will be paid.
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What is the timeline from LIV’s launch to Chapter 11?
- June 2022: LIV launches, with PIF spending later reported at more than $5 billion.
- September 26, 2025: Greg Norman receives a $5.8 million settlement and a $3.6 million bonus.
- February 13, 2026: Scott O’Neil receives an approximately $2.7 million bonus.
- June 24, 2026: O’Neil, David Phillipps and John Ruzich receive retention payments of $6.375 million, $3.37 million and $2.6 million, respectively.
- September 8, 2026: LIV and affiliated companies file for Chapter 11.
- October 22, 2026: The reported statement of financial affairs and creditor-payment documents are filed.
- November 5, 2026: A bankruptcy-court hearing is scheduled, according to the Associated Press reports.
What happens to LIV Golf after Chapter 11?
BC Partners Credit proposed up to $300 million to support a conditional “LIV 2.0.” The proposal would require retaining players, running at least 10 tournaments and reducing individual purses to about $9 million from the previous $20 million level.
The proposal is not the same as completed financing. The available reports do not establish that the full $300 million will close, that the court will approve the plan, or that LIV will continue in precisely that form. Those outcomes depend on negotiations, creditor review and court approval.
Will LIV Golf creditors get their money?
Not yet known. The vendor amounts remain claims in a Chapter 11 case, and the reporting does not establish final allowed amounts or recoveries. A creditor’s listing can be challenged, reduced or accepted through the bankruptcy process, so the figures above should not be read as guaranteed payments.
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The central distinction is between money already paid before filing and money still asserted as an unsecured obligation. Executive and player payments are recorded as completed transactions, while the vendor amounts remain unresolved until the court and any approved restructuring plan determine treatment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
What is a retention payment in a bankruptcy case?
A retention payment is compensation offered to keep an employee in a critical role during a sale, restructuring or other uncertain period. Its presence in a filing shows that the payment occurred; it does not by itself establish whether a court will approve or challenge it.
Are LIV’s player payments the same as creditor claims?
No. The reported player figures are payments made under player arrangements, while vendor filings seek payment for services and are treated as claims in the bankruptcy case. The two categories can have different contractual and legal treatment.
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What does Chapter 11 allow LIV to do?
Chapter 11 generally lets a company continue operating under court supervision while it negotiates a restructuring or sale. The available reports do not yet establish which proposed plan, if any, will receive approval in LIV’s case.
Why might a vendor claim be disputed?
A claim can be disputed over the amount, whether the work was completed, contract terms, or whether the company is legally liable. Until those issues are resolved, a listed figure is an allegation of what is owed rather than a guaranteed recovery.
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