Charles Howell III Joins LIV Golf Exodus as Player Departures Keep Mounting

Charles Howell III has become the latest player to abandon LIV Golf, signaling he will not be part of the breakaway league's proposed next phase as its roster continues to thin.

Reports on Thursday named Howell, the Crushers GC teammate of Bryson DeChambeau, alongside Thomas Pieters among two more former LIV players heading for the exit, with both men eyeing DP World Tour futures in 2027. Howell is the sixth confirmed departure in the current wave, following Jon Rahm, Adrian Meronk, David Puig, Abraham Ancer and Pieters.

The exits keep coming as LIV Golf fights for survival in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund having withdrawn its backing. Lenders BC Partners Credit have offered a $300 million lifeline to fund a so-called LIV 2.0, but a bankruptcy court filing this week said the decision between that relaunch and winding the league down entirely is expected by the end of the month.

The league's own lawyers rejected the contracts of 19 players this week — including DeChambeau — freeing them to negotiate with other tours, though DeChambeau has not confirmed his plans. The DP World Tour has announced LIV players will be barred from its events next year, accelerating the rush for the exits.

Per GolfMagic, only three players — Richard Bland, Victor Perez and Cameron Tringale — have publicly said they will stay with LIV if it survives.