LIV GOLF CANCELS MICHIGAN EVENT TO END SEASON EARLY
Captain Jon Rahm, Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, Caleb Surratt, and Tyrrell Hatton of Legion XIII celebrate winning the team event after the final round of LIV Golf Andalucía at Real Club Valderrama, Spain. (Photo: Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf)
The future of LIV Golf was cast into further doubt after the breakaway tour on Monday confirmed the cancellation of the team championship scheduled to be played in Michigan next week.
The team championship was due to be played from August 27-30, but this week’s individual standing will be decided at The Club at Chatham Hills in Indianapolis to bring the curtain down on a turbulent and difficult season.
"By concluding the season now, we can put our full resources behind what comes next and maintain the operational rigor this transition demands," said LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said in a press release.
The tour confirmed that anyone who purchased tickets for the Michigan event will receive refunds. The team event is the second LIV tournament to be cancelled following Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrawing their financial support as it no longer aligned with its strategy in a statement in April.
The first event cancellation quickly followed the PIF announcement when the LIV Louisiana event in June was postponed until Autumn.
Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm has already clinched his third consecutive season-long Individual Championship, but the other two spots on the 2026 podium remain up for grabs with Bryson DeChambeau, Joaquin Niemann, Lucas Herbert and Tyrrell Hatton still in contention.
The team competition will count the scores of all four players on each team every day, culminating with one of the 13 teams being crowned the 2026 LIV Golf Team Champion.
LIV has already been preparing for its next chapter, and it remains to be seen what the future holds for the rebel tour. PIF invested more than $5 billion in LIV Golf since its launch in 2022.
Harry McArdle (Warrenpoint) made the most significant move on Saturday morning, with a 67 giving him the lead on seven-under. He had opened with rounds of 73 and 69, and four birdies on his front nine, coupled with two down the home stretch, helped him to take the ascendency.
He took a two-shot lead, ahead of William O’Riordan (Greystones) and Conor McCarthy (Headfort). Overnight leader Dylan Keating (Seapoint) fell back to tied fifth on three-under alongside his playing partner Holmes.
McArdle made an emphatic start to his final round with eight pars in a row before he birdied nine and eleven, and while he stumbled on the 13, Higgins put on his run. He ended his front nine with back-to-back birdies and three more followed between 12 and 15.
Higgins had an eagle opportunity on 17 but had to settle for a birdie and his bogey on the last looked costly. However, McArdle couldn’t take advantage and finished with a bogey. And there was further drama in behind as Holmes and Keating battled back into contention.
A sensational round, which included seven birdies, had Keating tied for the lead with Higgins. Three birdies on the back nine meant Holmes was also in the lead and while he suffered a bogey on 16, he bounced back with a brilliant birdie on the Par 5 17th.
Holmes had his chance on 18 the first time around but he became the latest contender to bogey, and it resulted in a play-off with Higgins as they both finished on seven-under.
They played the 18th twice over and when neither player could seal the win, they had to return to the tricky Par 5. Higgins’ tee shot ended up behind a tree down the right side, but he recovered well and it resulted in a par being enough to secure a precious win.
“It was unreal to have everyone here, most of my family are here, so it was unreal to have them see me win and have them here to celebrate as well,” said Higgins.
“It was an amazing experience.”