DeChambeau stands by LIV role as Rahm takes new | Golf News

Bryson DeChambeau believes “people don’t realize” the financial worth of LIV Golf’s groups as the league seeks to appeal to new traders.

LIV has been bankrolled by billions of {dollars} from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund since the league’s launch in 2022, but that financial lifeline is set to be cut at the end of the season. The league is now looking out for various sources of funding to continue operations, with DeChambeau taking a main role in discussions with potential companions.

The two-time U.S. Open champion is balancing those tasks with his enjoying commitments, and he endured a “mystifying” opening spherical at Valderrama in Spain on Thursday, by accident breaking his membership in a “weird” incident.

The 32-year-old battled to shoot a one-under-par 70 in blustery situations, ending the day three photographs off the lead in a tie for ninth place.

He swiftly switched back to business mode following his spherical, championing LIV’s credentials as an investment alternative. Selling stakes in LIV’s 13 groups sits at the core of the league’s pitch to events, and DeChambeau insists the manufacturers maintain higher price than many would possibly anticipate.

“I think this has a lot of opportunity, right, and if somebody sees the plan that Scott [O’Neil, CEO] and they are putting forward… Yeah, I’ve been helping a little bit behind the scenes, and I think that there’s a lot of benefit to capital coming into this league.

“I feel one of the issues people do not understand is the workforce franchise valuations. We get the topco proper, and we get what we’re doing on the top facet proper, I feel the momentum could possibly be infinite for us.”

While DeChambeau has stepped up to champion LIV’s battle for survival, fellow top-ranked star Jon Rahm has chosen to distance himself from boardroom negotiations — though he has voiced his support for DeChambeau’s hands-on approach.

“It can be more of a stay-in-your-lane sort scenario as it goes to me,” Rahm said earlier this week. “I do know nothing about business. I’m never going to declare to know something about business, and if I have been in a business pitch, I might not know the first factor to say. My job is to play golf, and I’ll say it is is difficult enough as it’s, particularly this week.”

“But if any participant who is aware of what they’re doing is keen to do sure issues like that, I feel it could actually only help. To have insight from a participant on a assembly like that can help, and I’m open for any recommendations doable.”

“But I might also say I haven’t got the free time that Bryson has to be flying around the nation to attend conferences with three little ones and one on the best way. Even if I wished to, I do not know if I might do it.”

Playing on home turf, Rahm posted a two-over-par opening spherical, leaving him tied for twenty eighth place heading into Friday’s second spherical.