Si Woo Kim appears poised to become the latest PGA Tour standout to make the jump to LIV Golf, with the four-time winner reportedly in advanced discussions to join the rival league for the 2026 season.
Kim, 30, currently sits at No. 47 in the Official World Golf Ranking after a 2025 campaign featuring three top-10 finishes. His PGA Tour resume includes wins at the 2016 Wyndham Championship, the 2017 Players Championship, the 2021 American Express, and the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii.
If he signs, this would stand as one of LIV Golf’s biggest additions since the arrivals of stars like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in 2024–a clear signal that LIV remains aggressive in recruiting established talent.
What Kim’s Move Could Mean
For Kim personally, the shift might be about opportunity. Joining LIV would likely bring more financial security, different format dynamics, and a new challenge–potentially offering stability and a fresh start outside the cut-heavy grind of the PGA Tour.
For LIV Golf, adding a consistent, top-50 player would strengthen the league’s credibility and competitive depth. As LIV prepares for its 2026 season under its new 72-hole format, securing players of Kim’s caliber could be a strategic move to improve tournament quality and, perhaps, help LIV in its ongoing quest for world-ranking points.
But the move would also underscore the continuing tensions between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. As players continue to defect, the Tour must ask how it can retain talent when alternative formats, with big money and fewer rounds, remain attractive.
Other Players Who Recently Made the Switch
This year’s offseason has already seen Laurie Canter, a former PGA Tour-DP World Tour cardholder, formally abandon his 2026 PGA Tour privileges to rejoin LIV Golf. After earning his card via the DP World Tour, Canter turned down the PGA-status offer and signed with LIV’s Majesticks GC.
Shortly afterward, Victor Perez became the first confirmed PGA-Tour-to-LIV switch of the 2025-26 off-season, joining LIV’s Cleeks GC. The 33-year-old French pro withdrew from the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic once the move was announced.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve had the best two seasons in America,” Perez said. “I played decent, but I didn’t have high enough finishes to be in a position to contend. And I just felt the way the PGA Tour was ranking events was putting me at a huge disadvantage.
“Not being in the Signature Events was a big sticking point my end. I could have played better, obviously, but at the same time, I felt like it was really ‘top heavy’. And once you start falling outside the top 10, you’re not really capitalizing on the weeks, which is a little bit of what happened to me.”
Between the shrinking opportunities and constantly shifting criteria, Perez felt the ladder to climb the rankings was being pulled away faster than he could adjust.
“On a personal note, it was quite difficult to get to the PGA Tour in ’24 and [see] the rules changing right away,” he said. “It started with the elevated events, which I wasn’t in, and then this year they were like, ‘Oh, we’re only going to have 100 cards, instead of 125.’ And it seems like another change is coming next season, or maybe the following season.
“So I struggled with that instability. They changed CEOs, and there are plenty of things that have happened that have made it quite difficult to really believe in the product.”
Waiting on Confirmation, Watching the Fallout
Recent coverage from Today’s Golfer suggests “multiple PGA Tour winners” could be headed to LIV next season. This doesn’t necessarily confirm names beyond Kim, but the reference shows a growing momentum behind interest in the Saudi-backed tour.
One name mentioned was two-time PGA Tour winner Sungjae Im. However, according to a source close to Sports Illustrated, “there is a 0%” chance he is leaving the PGA Tour.”
Im’s caddie, Willy Wilcox, had fun with the rumor, posting on social media, “This just in.. Sung Jae signs deal with NASA to play in new space tour with events on Mars and Neptune.”
As of now, the Kim deal is still unconfirmed. “Late stage negotiations” means there’s room for change, and until Kim officially signs, the move remains speculative.
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