His LIV contract ended. Why he’s moving on from ‘only money’

Beyond the Brooks Koepkas and Bryson DeChambeaus, who both joined LIV Golf in 2022 with mega-million-dollar contracts, there were some less-heralded but possibly just as exciting signings made by the upstart league. Eugenio Chacarra was among them. 

The 24-year-old was fresh out of college then and the no. 2 ranked amateur in the world. If Koepka and DeChambeau figured to be LIV’s present, then Chacarra was LIV’s future. But here in 2025, he is now LIV’s past. 

Chacarra is moving on from LIV now that his contract has expired and was not retained by Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs team. He’s also a bit miffed about promises he felt LIV made and how few “big” tournaments he’s played in as a result of not earning world ranking points and access to the majors. Chacarra spoke with multiple sources this week — namely the Flushing It Twitter account and Hugo Costa, a journalist for Golf Channel Latin America — saying how frustrated he is with how little his wins have gotten him in pro golf. 

“I see what it’s like to win on the PGA Tour and how your life changes,” Chacarra told Flushing It. “How you get major access and ranking points. On LIV, nothing changes, there is only money. It doesn’t matter if you finish 30th or first, only money. I’m not a guy who wants more money. What will change my life is playing in Hawaii and qualifying for the majors, qualifying for the Masters, the Ryder Cup.”

Chacarra went on to cite Ludvig Aberg, No. 6 in the world, whom he used to compete against in Big 12 collegiate events just a few years ago. Aberg has won multiple times since turning pro — once on the PGA Tour and once on the DP World Tour. Chacarra has won multiple times, too — once on LIV and another on the Asian Tour. Aberg’s wins, however, have come against stiffer competition and have gone a lot further for his world ranking and invites to majors. Chacarra has played in just one major championship, having qualified for the 2023 U.S. Open. (It’s worth noting, DataGolf ranks Aberg eighth, and believes Chacarra to be the 282nd-ranked player in the world.)

While he says he’s grateful for the opportunity LIV afforded him, Chacarra grew frustrated by promises that didn’t come to fruition. 

“When I joined LIV they promised OWGR and majors,” Chacarra said. “But it didn’t happen. I trusted them. I was the first young guy, then the others came after I made the decision. But OWGR and majors still hasn’t happened.”

Now, he’s ready to move on in pursuit of the PGA Tour dream. Only he may find some difficulty in doing so. 

With the PGA Tour and the Saudi PIF (LIV’s owner) still stuck at the negotiating table for an agreement on how to reunify the sport, Chacarra will apparently face a sanction for his competing on LIV. The Tour has suspended LIV golfers one year of action in any Tour-sanctioned event (Korn Ferry, PGA Tour Americas, etc.) from their last competitive day on LIV. That means that Chacarra is expected to be suspended from Tour action until late September 2025. 

Chacarra was never a member of the PGA Tour, nor its affiliates, nor a member of the DP World Tour. This distinction may offer him a bit of preference given he never signed away his annual media rights like, say, Patrick Reed did at the beginning of 2022. Chacarra was therefore never in breach of any contract by playing LIV events. 

How the Tour decides to rule on his eligibility remains to be seen. Chacarra will be able to compete in Asian Tour events, as soon as the International Series India later this month. He will likely be able to compete in DP World Tour events as well, but will rely on sponsor exemptions at the beginning of that journey. Ultimately, he felt that the LIV schedule was not enough action for him. Fourteen annual events didn’t motivate him, enough, Chacarra told Hugo Costa. 

“It is a question of motivation,” he said, “and LIV was only about money.”