'It's Not Just Some Made-Up Number' - Bubba Watson Reveals Method LIV Golf Uses to Decide Sign-On Fees

Ever since the LIV Golf League started trying to lure players over to its tour, some astronomical figures have been banded about when it comes to the sign-on fee the golfers would supposedly earn. 

Jon Rahm's recent move to LIV was reportedly for over half a billion dollars, while Phil Mickelson allegedly received around $200 million and Dustin Johnson apparently cashed in to the tune of $125 million back in 2022.

And while, to some, it's appeared like the quoted numbers for the PGA Tour's best and brightest have been pulled out of thin air - or at least inflated over their actual value - according to two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, this is far from the case.

The Range Goats' captain - who himself moved to LIV for something in the neighborhood of $50 million, according to reports - claimed a "formula" is used by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) to put together an efficient offer.

Speaking to the Fore Play Podcast, in a clip shared by X user @ProGolfCritic, Watson said: "When I went [to LIV], I've signed a lifetime deal with Ping, right? I have other sponsors - I have a watch sponsor, I have a clothing sponsor - so I had money. The money is null and void. They're not just throwing out money randomly. There is actually a formula of why so-and-so gets this.

"There is actually a formula. These are smart businessmen. This fund [PIF] has made it because they're smart at what they do. They own almost a piece of every company that's ever been built in the United States, right? They have a formula of how they invest their money. It's not just some made-up number, it's an actual real number for a reason.

"They might have added on 5%, they might have added on 2% - depending on who you are. They might have added 0.5% for me. There's a formula out there that we have behind the scenes, it's not like: "here's a check." It's a real number for a reason."

Midway through explaining how bespoke offers are decided for various players, the 2012 and 2014 Masters champion stated that a handful of unnamed golfers have approached LIV to enquire about joining and quoted figures that Watson labelled "random."

He said: "There are some guys on the [PGA] Tour that just came up with random numbers, and the League is just like: "who are you?" 

"I would never call those people out, but there are some random numbers and you're just like: "you haven't even made that much in your career!" Like, hold on a second, I know a sponsor isn't sponsoring you for that much."

One player who would have moved to LIV for the riches is John Daly, who felt he "would be perfect" for the 54-hole, no-cut circuit. Highlighting what he felt was hypocrisy over money talk involving LIV and the PGA Tour, Daly said there is "no difference" between him being paid to play in Europe during the 1990s and the modern golfer earning millions by switching to LIV.

The two-time Major champion has been a long-time admirer of the PIF-backed League and once admitted he "begged" CEO Greg Norman to invite him on.

Referencing LIV, Daly said: "I think it's great. I would have played it! I was hoping that Finchem [Tim, former PGA Tour commissioner] would say: "Ok, look, guys. [If] you play your 15 tournaments - go play it. We have to play 15 [events] on the regular tour and I think 11 or 12 on the Champions Tour. Once you do that, let us go play wherever we want.

"I think golf is a growing game. I'm not going to sit here and deny... I got paid a lot of money to go and play European events - what's the difference [with LIV]? There's no difference."