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Kim Si-woo quells LIV rumors, commits to 2026 PGA Tour season opener

Published: 13 Dec. 2025, 17:23

Kim Si-woo plays a shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne on Dec. 7. [AP]

Korean PGA Tour veteran Kim Si-woo has taken to social media to quell rumors of his move to LIV Golf.

"Okay guys see you in @sonyopenhawaii," Kim posted on his Instagram page, next to a photo showing himself with the champion's trophy after he won the 2023 Sony Open. The 2026 PGA Tour season will begin with the Sony Open on Jan. 15.

Earlier this week, reports out of the United States claimed that Kim was in "late-stage negotiations" to join LIV Golf, a renegade tour bankrolled by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

Since its launch in 2022, LIV Golf has successfully poached some big stars from the PGA Tour, including major champions Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.

LIV Golf players aren't eligible to play on the PGA Tour unless they qualify for four major championships, and Kim's commitment to the Sony Open likely means he has decided not to join LIV Golf.

However, it is still possible for Kim to change his mind and take his talent to LIV Golf, whose 2026 season begins after the Sony Open on Feb. 4 in Riyadh.

Including that 2023 Sony Open victory, Kim has won four times on the PGA Tour and has competed in the last three Presidents Cups for the International Team. He would be one of the biggest Asian names to join LIV Golf if the rumored move materialized.

LIV Golf held its first tournament in Korea in May this year at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, just west of Seoul. Earlier reports indicated that LIV will return to Korea for May 29-31 in 2026, but the tour's official website does not show a Korean event at the moment.

LIV Golf has been accused of being a vehicle for Saudi Arabia's "sportswashing," which refers to an effort by the country criticized for human rights abuses to cleanse its public image through sports.

YONHAP