sports
LIV Golf races against time for investment with confirmation Saudi funding will end in 2026
LIV announces new independent board in funding push
TL;DR
- Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will end its funding of LIV Golf after the 2026 season.
- The PIF stated that LIV Golf's long-term financial needs are no longer consistent with its current investment strategy.
- LIV Golf has appointed a new board, including Gene Davis and Jon Zinman, to secure long-term capital and grow the business.
- LIV CEO Scott O’Neil's role has shifted from business growth to sourcing external funding.
- The decision to end funding reportedly came directly from Saudi Arabia's crown prince, influenced partly by the Iran war.
- There is uncertainty about whether Saudi Arabia will seek recompense for its LIV involvement.
- A scaled-down 'LIV lite' model with fewer tournaments and reduced prize funds is a possibility.
- Contracted LIV players like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau may explore paths back to other tours.
- LIV's financial distortion has impacted PGA Tour prize funds and created high overheads for other tours.
- The DP World Tour might continue to allow LIV players in its tournaments, complicated by the PGA Tour-DP World Tour strategic alliance.