Dustin Johnson doesn’t seem to be affected by the recent changes in the golf world. He wasn’t worried when people criticized him for playing in the 2026 PGA Championship on an invitation. And he’s not affected now that PIF has pulled back its funding and that LIV Golf’s future is uncertain. He lives in the present.
“You have to ask me when it comes to that. I have no f—— idea right now. I’ve got two more rounds to play. That is the only thing I’m thinking about. I don’t look too far ahead. I’ve got a lot of good golf in there. Feel great. Body feels good,” he said when asked about his plans if LIV shuts down.
Johnson finished his second round at two over par, carding three birdies and three bogeys under hard conditions at Aronimink. He gave a composed performance, enough to make the cut and play through the weekend. For context, he missed the cut at the same event last year and finished 12 over at Quail Hollow. So making it through here, on one of the most demanding Donald Ross setups in major golf, is a step forward.
His five-year exemption earned through the 2020 Masters has also expired. His U.S. Open exemption from the 2016 win runs only through this year. The Open Championship exemption has already lapsed. So from 2027 onward, Augusta is the only major where a spot is guaranteed, and every other major will require either a strong enough ranking, a qualifying performance, or a special invitation.
So all of this tussle comes at a difficult time. Looking back at his trajectory, he signed a multi-year LIV extension in January. In simpler words, it was a clear commitment to the league, but the ground has shifted fast. With the PIF pulling its funding, the PGA Tour might not renew its returning member program, and Johnson was not eligible for that either way. So for now, it would require winning a major between 2022 and 2025, a window where he went without one of the big four despite three individual LIV titles.
Despite the turbulent period and the backlash he has faced, making the cut this week is a reinforcement that his talent is still there. He still ranks second on LIV in putting and 14th in driving distance. His driver remains the missing piece. He hit just 4 out of 14 fairways on Friday and ranked 106th in the field in strokes gained off the tee. “All it takes is one thing,” he said. “It’s coming.” Which brings us to what Johnson has quietly been building away from the competitive stage.
Beyond the fairway, what Johnson has built has nothing to do with LIV
Although Johnson has made it very clear he does not know what comes next, he is not walking into uncertainty. In January 2026, Dustin invested in GolfLive, a live virtual coaching platform, connecting it to the Dustin Johnson Golf School he has operated for years. His TaylorMade partnership reportedly runs through 2028. Along with that, he is secured by endorsement deals with Adidas, NetJets, and BodyArmor, all of which have been part of his commercial portfolio for years. His 2023 appearance on Netflix’s Full Swing introduced him to an audience well beyond the golf world.
Reports have surfaced assessing where LIV players could land if the league folds. One said Johnson could still hold PGA Tour status through the career money list. He is fifth all-time with over $75 million in official earnings, which could give him a path back as a tour member without having to qualify. However, this has not been publicly confirmed or pursued. But for a player who does not look too far ahead, the road ahead may be less blocked than it appears.
