LIV Golf, the controversial rival to the PGA Tour, will lose its primary financial lifeline as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) plans to end funding after the current season. The decision, set to be announced to players and staff on Thursday, marks a stunning reversal for a league that has burned through nearly $6 billion in Saudi capital since its launch.
The PIF’s withdrawal follows years of financial hemorrhaging, with LIV Golf posting losses of $1.4 billion over its first three and a half years, including $590.1 million in 2024 alone. Sources indicate the league no longer fits within the Saudi fund’s strategic priorities, casting doubt on its ability to sustain operations in its current form. Despite heavy investments in star players with nine-figure contracts, LIV’s team play format and shortened tournaments failed to capture a broad audience, while a proposed merger with the PGA Tour fell apart.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has been working to steady the ship amid mounting speculation. In a recent email to staff, he insisted the 2026 season would proceed as planned, emphasizing the league’s resolve. “We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before,” O’Neil declared.
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Yet the challenges are mounting. The league recently postponed its June event in New Orleans, returning $1 million in cash to Louisiana. With just seven tournaments left on the 2026 calendar, players are already exploring fallback options, including potential moves to the DP World Tour.
Efforts to secure new investors are underway, though maintaining LIV’s ambitious model without Saudi backing appears daunting. Between 2022 and 2024, the league lost $1.1 billion, a figure that underscores the scale of the financial hole it must climb out of. The outcome of these investment talks could determine whether LIV Golf survives into 2027 or becomes a cautionary tale of overreach in professional sports.
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