LIV Golf is still on the lookout for a marquee signing ahead of the 2025 season starting in February.
Rumour and speculation are rife within the PIF-backed circuit, with several teams looking to strengthen during the off-season.
Jon Rahm needs a new signing at Legion XIII, and the RangeGoats are looking to replace Thomas Pieters and, potentially, Bubba Watson after his relegation last season. Pieters became the 4Aces’ first signing last week.
The Iron Heads have also been busy. After offering contract extensions to Danny Lee and Jinichiro Kozuma, Kevin Na’s team confirmed the signing of Korean Tour sensation Yubin Jang.
It’s clear LIV officials are still waiting for their Rahm-esque signing. Tony Finau was heavily linked after he withdrew from the Hero World Challenge. However, the six-time PGA Tour winner shut down the rumours. Xander Schauffele has also been the subject of speculation previously.
Schauffele met with the Saudis to discuss an offer but quickly realised the venture wasn’t for him. Tiger Woods’ former coach, Hank Haney, has now spoken about rumours he’s heard regarding Schauffele and Finau.
Hank Haney reacts to what he’s heard about Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau
Speaking on the No Filter Network Podcast, Haney initially discussed the ongoing discussions between the PIF and PGA Tour. “This thing has been dragging on. How long has this thing been going? I mean, does it take this long to make a deal? You keep hearing that it’s close. Now it’s holiday season. My guess is that something is going to happen pretty soon. I think you are starting to feel there are enough rumours going on,” he said.
“They are talking about teaming up with the European Tour. You have the big Match coming up with Bryson and Brooks against Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy; those are the two biggest guys on LIV and the two biggest guys on the PGA Tour. That’s as big as it gets. Then there’s the rumour going on that the PGA Tour and LIV are close, and we have heard this before, to putting something together. The PIF is going to end up owning 6% of PGA Tour enterprises.”
Haney then addressed rumours he’d heard about Schauffele and Finau and claimed that LIV is now “done” signing players from the PGA Tour. “It doesn’t sound like this is a merger,” Haney added.
“This sounds like it is going to be some sort of partnership deal. I can tell you what everyone though LIV was going away, it’s not. I do think LIV is done buying players. There was a rumour last week that Tony Finau was heading over there.
“Of course, the Xander Schauffele rumour is every other week you hear about that. I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think they are done buying players, I really do. They may get a couple of guys, but they have some big purses, they don’t have a lot of players, I don’t think they have to pay.”
Tony Finau LIV Golf speculation continues to rumble on
Schauffele heading to LIV is a non-starter. There may have been rumours previously, but the two-time major winner is clearly content with his position on the PGA Tour.
Things aren’t so cut and dry with Finau, however.
Finau withdrew from the Grant Thornton Invitational, which has sparked yet more speculation. Golf fans are convinced Finau is moving to LIV, and until he tees it up at the season-opener in Hawaii, rumours will continue to swirl.
The latest Finau-LIV talk comes 12 months after the Salt Lake City native was reportedly close to joining the Saudi-backed venture before eventually remaining on the PGA Tour.
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