Kim Si-woo of Korea tees off on the thirteenth gap in the course of the remaining spherical of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Membership in Melbourne, Dec. 7. EPA-Yonhap
Kim Si-woo, a four-time PGA Tour winner from Korea, is reportedly on the verge of becoming a member of a Saudi Arabia-backed renegade tour subsequent season.
Tom Hobbs of Flushing It Golf reported Wednesday (U.S. native time) that Kim was in “late stage negotiations” to hitch the LIV Golf League, together with one other high-profile Korean PGA Tour participant.
“It is unclear what’s holding up the deal, however league sources are assured will probably be agreed earlier than the 2026 season begins,” Hobbs wrote on X, together with his report later picked up by different retailers.
LIV Golf is bankrolled by the Public Funding Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. Since its launch in 2022, LIV Golf has efficiently poached some main names from the PGA Tour, together with main champions Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.
In 2025, 13 groups, every made up of 4 gamers, competed in LIV Golf, which runs each staff and particular person standings. Iron Heads GC, captained by Korean American Kevin Na, completed useless final after recruiting the 2024 Korea PGA Tour Participant of the 12 months Jang Yu-bin as the primary Korean participant in LIV Golf.
After every season, gamers who end forty ninth or decrease are relegated from LIV Golf and are launched from their groups. With Jang having suffered that destiny after ending his first season at No. 52, Iron Heads GC, which additionally consists of Korean-born Kiwi Danny Lee, is reportedly set to fill that void by signing Kim.
Kim, 30, is No. 47 on the planet rankings. His largest win thus far got here on the 2017 Gamers Championship, a match generally known as “the fifth main” for its profitable purse and deep area. He stays the youngest winner of the distinguished match.
In 2025, Kim made 22 cuts in 30 begins with three top-10 finishes. He has additionally competed within the final three Presidents Cups for the Worldwide Crew.
Different stories claimed that fellow Korean Im Sung-jae was additionally on his solution to LIV Golf, however a supply near the participant instructed Sports activities Illustrated that there is a “zero %” likelihood the two-time winner and the previous PGA Tour Rookie of the 12 months is leaving.
Im’s company in Seoul, All That Sports activities, additionally dismissed rumors of the golfer’s transfer to LIV Golf as “totally false.”
“Im Sung-jae is concentrating on getting ready for the subsequent PGA Tour season and there may be completely no change to his future profession path,” the corporate stated.
Im’s caddie, Willy Wilcox, took to X to poke enjoyable on the media hypothesis and wrote, “This simply in. Sung Jae indicators take care of NASA to play in new house tour with occasions on Mars and Neptune.”
LIV Golf held its first match in Korea in Might this 12 months at Jack Nicklaus Golf Membership Korea in Incheon. Earlier stories indicated that LIV will return to Korea for Might 29-31 in 2026, however the tour’s official web site doesn’t present a Korean cease.
LIV Golf additionally introduced in November its tournaments will increase from 54 holes to a extra standard 72 holes in 2026 to assist make these occasions begin counting towards the official world rating factors.
