[Photo: Octavio Passos]
Carlos Ortiz sits one shot off the lead after 36 holes at the DP World Tour’s prestigious BMW International Open in Germany. However, as a winner on LIV Golf (and previously the PGA Tour), the Mexican golfer was asked in Munich about the uncertain future of the league he primarily plays on.
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In May, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, confirmed it would no longer fund LIV Golf after 2026, five years into the league’s timeline. LIV chief executive Scott O’Neil has had to rethink operations and is seeking investment between $US250 million to $US300 million.
That has happened in the background while the league had to postpone an event scheduled originally for last month until the northern autumn.
There are nine LIV Golf players in the field this week because they’re in the middle of a seven-week break between LIV Golf Andalucia, played before last month’s US Open, and its UK event after the Open Championship.
Ortiz, 35, whose lone PGA Tour win came at the 2020 Vivant Houston Open, has won 10 times around the world on four different tours. He’s earned a reported $US34 million for LIV despite only having one victory on the league. He was asked overnight (Australian time) about LIV’s future and what that means for his own schedule.
“It’s looking a little bit tough. Hopefully there’s a way forward,” Ortiz said after the second round in Germany. “I honestly don’t know all the situation, but it’s not looking great, obviously, as we all know. That’s a shame, I’ve really enjoyed my time playing all around the world and it’s been awesome playing with my team, [Torque GC]. “We’ll see what happens, but whatever happens, I’m sure I’ll find a place to play and, for me, it’s just about playing golf. If I can start coming to places like this and seeing new places, then it will be great. For me, whatever happens is totally fine.”
Adding a maiden DP World Tour victory to his résumé this weekend would only offer Ortiz more options.
LIV golfers are in the middle of a seven-week break between LIV Golf Andalucia before the US Open and its UK event after the Open Championship. Ortiz is making good use of that downtime by teeing up at the DP World Tour stop in Munich this week. He shot 67-67 at the Golfclub München Eichenried and sat 10-under-par at the midpoint. Ortiz trailed Hennie Du Plessis by one shot, while American YouTube golf star Brad Dalke is in contention at nine-under on his DP World Tour debut.
