Bryson DeChambeau’s financial situation is grabbing headlines once more, almost three years after he claimed he was “broke” following his lucrative move to LIV Golf. The two-time US Open champion caused a stir by joining the breakaway league in 2022 and receiving a reported £100million signing-on fee.

Despite his success, the 31-year-old has been linked with a return to the PGA for 2027, following rumours that DeChambeau demanded £222m ($280m) to renew his LIV contract. Various figures, including British golfer Lee Westwood, have refuted that claim. However, DeChambeau once joked that he was short of money soon after signing his nine-figure deal with LIV. “What’s cool about it though is that I’ve already put it [the money] in places that make sense,” DeChambeau said on the Country Club Adjacent podcast in June 2022.

“Whether it’s my foundation, or real estate, being able to build a multi-sport complex, or taking care of my family, taking care of what we’ve got going with our content creation Regecy, numerous other things too. So, it’s already moved. I’m again broke.”

As National Club Golfer reports, DeChambeau has raked in approximately £23.8m ($30m) in prize money from LIV Golf and gathered a further $27.3m ($34.4m) from the PGA Tour in his career, including a £3.42m ($4.3m) reward for his win at the US Open last June.

The rumour mill was in full swing with claims that DeChambeau had demanded a huge £222m from LIV, but Westwood quickly dismissed the speculation. Taking to social media platform X, Westwood wrote: “Codswallop is very applicable here.”

On the flip side, Rory McIlroy expressed his eagerness for DeChambeau’s return to the PGA Tour during Netflix‘s Full Swing series. “Bryson is exactly what the game of golf needs right now,” McIlroy said. “I would certainly like the opportunity to play against him a little more often. He has made the game of golf more exciting this year.”

By the time DeChambeau’s LIV contract ends, a possible merger between the PGA and LIV may well have been completed. After meeting with US President Donald Trump, golf legend Tiger Woods hinted at a brighter future for golf.

“Things are going to heal quickly,” he said. “We’re going to get this game going in the right ­direction. It’s been heading in the wrong direction for a number of years. The fans want all the top ­players playing together and we’re going to make that happen.”