Bubba Watson Says ‘10 to 20 People’ Have Tried to Purchase His LIV Golf Team

Outside team owners have been discussed as a central and forthcoming aspect of LIV Golf’s model since its inception. That structure hasn’t materialized just yet, but according to Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champion and the current captain of LIV’s RangeGoats GC, the interest is there. 

Speaking from LIV’s team championship in Miami, Watson explained that the “floodgates opened” for the potential purchase of his four-man squad after they won the league’s Singapore event in April. 

The RangeGoats captain said there's plenty of interest in his team from prospective buyers.

Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

“Anywhere from 10 to 20 people have asked to buy the RangeGoats,” Watson said. “There was three in Singapore, and then after Singapore the floodgates opened, there was even more. There’s been talk this week. I met with people this week. There’s quite a few.” 

“The evaluation, it’s not a small number,” he continued. “We’re pretty high up.” 

Although some LIV teams have secured sponsorships, such as Majesticks GC’s partnership with the Crypto exchange company OKX, none have been purchased wholly by an outside individual or entity. Under LIV’s current financial structure, the league owns 75% of each team, while the team captains have 25% equity. LIV is backed by the PIF, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. It is unclear how an ownership contract would be handled, but both LIV and the PIF would likely need to sign off of the deal.

In a session with reporters at Doral’s Blue Monster, the site of LIV’s season-ending event, Greg Norman confirmed what Watson disclosed about the RangeGoats, adding that there is interest in other teams as well. 

“I do know with the RangeGoats is one you mentioned. It is true there's a lot of interest from individuals who want to buy the team,” Norman said. “I would say five months ago that was completely off the table. Now we can sit back here and just entertain what would that mean?

“It’s the success of the product, and the RangeGoats aren't the only ones. There are other people interested in other teams as well too. Again, it’s part of the excellent job of building the brand of LIV and building each one of those franchises. Remember, our responsibility is to create as much value we can within each one of those franchises.”

Dustin Johnson, the captain of 4Aces GC, echoed Watson when speaking on behalf of his own team, but didn’t go into quite as much detail. According to the former U.S. Open champion, the team will delve into that side of their business dealings once the season comes to a close after this week’s final. 

“There’s quite a bit of interest ... before it was kind of all just focused on golf,” Johnson said. “Now I’m focused on golf and trying to manage the team and sponsors and all this other stuff.” 

As a co-owner of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, a minor league baseball team, Watson is familiar with these types of arrangements and therefore wants to continue playing a major role in the behind-the-scenes dealings of his LIV squad.

“Some people want to know more. Some just people want to play golf. Just depends on which team you're talking about and who it is. I want to know everything. I want to be part of it and move it forward and make the RangeGoats well-known,” Watson said. 

There is $50 million at stake this week at LIV Miami, with $14 million going to the winning team. The championship, which is part match play and part stroke play, begins Friday.