LIV filings put executive retention at $15.6 million as vendors sue

Court filings in LIV Golf's Chapter 11 case show the league paid $15.6 million in retention money to seven executives in the months between Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund saying it would stop funding LIV and the Sept. 8 bankruptcy filing, the Associated Press and Golf Digest reported. The documents were filed late Thursday, Oct. 22, in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey.

CEO Scott O'Neil's $6.375 million payment on June 24 was the largest. Chief financial officer David Phillips received $3.37 million and chief legal officer John Ruzich $2.6 million on the same day, per the AP. Sports Business Journal reported that president Chris Heck got a retention payment of more than $1.3 million in August, part of more than $3.6 million in total pay over the year, and that Phillips took home close to $5.1 million.

O'Neil also received a bonus of about $2.7 million in February. From Sept. 12, 2025, to Aug. 28, 2026, the records show he was paid more than $13.6 million in payroll, bonuses, benefits, retention and expense reimbursements.

Vendors are still chasing invoices

The executive money went out during a year in which LIV left contractors unpaid, and several have sued. Golf Digest listed Fresh Tape Media, which produced LIV's January preseason media event, seeking $1.23 million. Mobii Systems, which supplied the "Any Shot, Any Time" streaming feature, says it is owed more than $1.1 million, and Fantasy Interactive, which built LIV's app and website, has filed $992,870.75 in unpaid invoices. LIV laid off most of its staff in September. The AP said the filings also list 129 payments to creditors in the 90 days before the bankruptcy.

Cameron Young almost went

The same filings list a Cameron Young letter agreement with LIV dated July 24, 2022, a week after he finished second to Cameron Smith at the Open at St Andrews. Golf Digest and GOLF.com both reported that Young signed an intent to play for LIV that summer before backing out. At the 2022 Tour Championship he said he had been "very interested" and added, "Frankly, I have decided to stay."

A LIV attorney told Judge Michael B. Kaplan the league expects to know by the end of the month whether LIV 2.0 goes forward.