LIV Golf backed to potentially take more players from the PGA Tour this winter as plan takes shape

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There is going to be plenty of interest among golf fans to see which players LIV Golf target over the winter ahead of the 2026 season.

LIV Golf has certainly managed to upset the apple cart during its first few years in existence. The league has tempted a number of big names to leave the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, with the signing of Jon Rahm in December 2023 one of their biggest statements of intent.

With the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia backing LIV, the league has the means to offer some eye-watering sums. And clearly, plenty of massive names have been tempted to make the jump.

However, the off season at the end of 2024 saw LIV take a different approach to potential signings. While there were rumours that Tony Finau had agreed to join LIV, the league instead brought in a number of younger players, including Tom McKibbin, Luis Masaveu and Frederik Kjettrup.

Of course, there are so many questions about which direction LIV will now head in with talks with the PGA Tour over a merger on hold. It is also fair to say that the younger signings have not exactly captured the imagination this season.

LIV Golf set to target younger signings once again this winter

So some may be expecting LIV to get the chequebook out and make some big signings in the coming months.

However, speaking on the No Laying Up Podcast, Josh Carpenter suggested that LIV are likely to continue pursuing talented youngsters with high ceilings.

“I do get the sense that they’ll sign some new players this off season. But I don’t know that it will be a big, big name. And again, if we go back to their signings of Rahm and Cam Smith, who would they sign, I think you’re talking about a handful of guys that would be like, ‘woah’. It’s Scottie, it’s Rory, if they were to sign a Spieth – Spieth’s game is not what it once was – but the guy’s game still moves the needle with respect to television and people still love talking about him,” he said.

“One other thing is that all the talk is the belt has been tightened from a spending perspective. In those early days, PIF was funding all those big signings. Now, we go back to this team aspect with LIV, the onus is a little bit more on these teams to sign these players. The Iron Heads, are they going to go to the bank and spend eight figures on a player? Probably not.

“Yes, I believe LIV will sign more players, maybe PGA Tour players this off season. But I think it will be along the lines of who they signed last year. They signed Tom McKibbin, who had his PGA Tour card locked up. Some of these younger guys who they think they can build into big, global stars, which is where they’re putting most of their focus on.”

How LIV Golf’s signings for the 2025 season have fared this year

Obviously, LIV would have always known that the younger players were going to need time to find their feet. It is a different format of golf, and there are a number of world-class players in the league.

But it is alarming just how poor their 2025 signings have been. As things stand, McKibbin is the only player on course for a top 24 finish, with the Northern Irishman in 15th place right now.

Masaveu was replaced on Fireballs by Jose Luis Ballester earlier in the year. And he is joined in the drop zone by Yubin Jang and Kjettrup. Ben Campbell is 34th currently.

LIV have warned players that those in the drop zone will be relegated this year. So those players seemingly face an uphill battle to remain in the league for a second season.

It will be interesting to see whether that puts any other potential targets off when LIV come calling in the winter.

But LIV will hope that it eventually leads to much more depth throughout the league, as well as at the next level.