WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau urged the golf world to be "open-minded" about LIV Golf on Thursday and said his wish is that the league is given "one more shot" as it fights to secure the necessary funding and player support to continue beyond this season.
"It's tough, it's not easy," DeChambeau said after shooting an opening round 65 at LIV's final event of the season. "We definitely have a lot against us."
After the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announced in April that it would stop funding the breakaway league following this season, LIV has canceled two events, including the season finale in Michigan slated for next week. It has also faced multiple lawsuits from vendors over missed payments and cut back on its offerings at events amid financial uncertainty.
LIV CEO Scott O'Neil has spent that time pitching a new version of the league going forward, one that features smaller purses, a limited schedule of 10 events (five internationally and five stateside) and player equity in the league.
O'Neil announced at the league's New York event a few weeks ago that LIV had signed a term sheet with an investor -- later confirmed to be Ted Goldthorpe of BC Partners -- but the agreement has yet to be finalized. All signs point to player commitments being integral to having that investment go through.
DeChambeau has been at the forefront of trying to keep LIV going, leading a player meeting at Trump Bedminster and, according to O'Neil, being very involved in advocating for the league to continue. Just a few days after Rory McIlroy questioned whether LIV players had brought any value to LIV during their time there, DeChambeau fired back at that notion.
"I hope people can see that we actually bring value to the game of golf," DeChambeau said. "I think behind the scenes we've got a lot of people that are working hard to make this possible for not only all the players that are out here but all the fans that have come out to these events and the economic impact we've made on all these places."
On Wednesday, O'Neil preached confidence that the league would continue and said he "wouldn't bet" against it. He also sent a message similar to DeChambeau's and asked the rest of the golf ecosystem to "cooperate" with LIV, admitting that the league had once played a divisive role.
"Golf certainly doesn't need another five years of fighting," O'Neil said. "Golf doesn't need one tour to win and everyone else to lose. We shouldn't live in a world where one group of golfers is uniquely restricted from playing elsewhere. Our goal isn't to replace or restrict any tour."
In July, the Asian Tour -- which had served as a second-tier feeder tour for the league -- announced a new partnership with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, dealing a blow to LIV. According to multiple reports, the DP World Tour has communicated to LIV players who have been in touch that it is highly unlikely they will be granted a conditional release in 2027 to play both tours without incurring fines under their conflicting events rule.
When asked about that Wednesday, O'Neil said that he believes that it is "counter to where golf is going" and that he hopes the golf world understands the value of inviting LIV players to other events. Yet it is still unclear which players will be part of LIV if it is able to secure the funding to continue. While other players such as Dean Burmester and Brendan Steele have been definitive in their commitment to LIV, in whatever form it takes beyond this season, big names including Jon Rahm and Joaquín Niemann have been mum on their decisions.
"It's definitely been an uncertain time the last few months, and that's probably played on a lot of guys' minds," Burmester said Thursday. "I think everybody has the right to make their own decision."
Even DeChambeau acknowledged the possibility that the league might not survive.
"If it works, it works, and that's awesome," DeChambeau said. "If it doesn't, we'll figure things out and time will move on."