LIV Golf's Chief Operating Officer Left After Season Finale
Only a year into the job, the Chief Operating Officer for LIV Golf has left his position.
Atul Khosla was hired by LIV Golf in December 2021 from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL team, where he held the title of chief corporate development and brand officer.
LIV Golf confirmed that Khosla left his position soon after the inaugural season ended in late October.
Khosla was also chief operating officer for the Chicago Fire soccer club in the MLS and also worked for General Electric and NBC Sports.
In his role at LIV Golf, he reported to CEO and commissioner Greg Norman.
No reason for his departure was given but Khosla is the second prominent executive to leave the company. Before LIV Golf played its first event in June, Sean Bratches, who came to LIV Golf from Formula 1, resigned his position as chief commercial officer.
LIV Golf confirmed that a recruitment process is under way for a new COO.
"At the conclusion of LIV's successful inaugural season, Atul Khosla decided to move on. We respect AK and his personal decision," LIV Golf said in a statement.
"We are working closely with some of our most trusted partners, who have been integral since LIV's inception and are supporting our structural transition and introduction of exciting new developments ahead of our first full season."
Performance 54, a United Kingdom-based agency that has several key people performing various roles for LIV Golf, is handling Khosla’s duties in the interim with the possibility of a broader role to come.
The LIV Golf League will commence a 14-tournament schedule in February. It is backed by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, that has been controversial due to the country’s various human rights violations.
The league secured several prominent players with lucrative guaranteed contracts and is offering $25 million purses at its events. It has a team structure as well.
PGA Tour players who play with LIV have been indefinitely suspended and unable to competed in sanctioned tournaments. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have been outspoken critics of LIV Golf and have called for Norman’s removal for there to be any chance at peace talks.