Dustin Johnson among LIV stars seeking over $100 million from Saudi PIF

Dustin Johnson is among more than ten LIV Golf players pursuing a financial settlement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), according to a report by The Athletic carried by Reuters and Golfweek on October 25. The group's reported claims exceed $100 million in total. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and Belgian professional Thomas Detry are among the names identified. Crucially, that figure represents claims for contractual obligations and potential severance payments—not a court-verified debt or an agreed settlement.

The dispute follows the breakdown of LIV's original funding structure. PIF financed the circuit from its 2022 launch but announced in April 2026 that it would withdraw support. LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, opening a path to reorganisation rather than an immediate shutdown. A proposed successor, LIV 2.0, is being developed around a potential investment from BC Partners Credit and new player agreements.

Johnson's lawyer, David Cornwell, represents the group. As reported by The Athletic, he argues that players made career-changing decisions in reliance on long-term commitments by PIF and are seeking a reasonable settlement as the first version of the league winds down. Golfweek reported that an earlier PIF proposal amounted to roughly two cents for every dollar of remaining contract value. That figure describes a reported negotiating offer, not an approved payout.

The initial deadline for golfers to commit to LIV 2.0 fell on Sunday, October 25, although the prospective backer can extend it. The Athletic reported that members of Johnson's group do not expect to sign the restructuring agreement in its current form. This should not be read as a final declaration that every player has abandoned the proposed circuit: the negotiations remain unresolved.

The implications stretch beyond the headline sum. LIV's lucrative contracts helped reshape the professional-golf labour market, and uncertainty about remaining payments is now affecting the new tour's ability to assemble a roster for 2027. Neither a settlement of the claims nor a successful LIV 2.0 launch is guaranteed.

Image: Dustin Johnson holding the trophy at LIV Golf Invitational Boston in 2022. This is an archival photograph, not an image of the 2026 negotiations.