Saudi Arabia Ends LIV Golf Funding, Tour’s Future in Doub
Saudi Arabia ends LIV Golf funding, and the bold breakaway tour that once shook the golf world to its core may not survive beyond this summer. Saudi-Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), will stop bankrolling the circuit at the close of the 2026 season, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, both citing multiple anonymous sources.
LIV Golf, launched in 2022 as a direct challenge to the establishment of the PGA Tour, backed by billions of Saudi dollars and succeeded in luring some of golf’s biggest names, including Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson. The league expected to brief staff and players this week on plans to “evaluate strategic alternatives” for keeping the circuit alive.
A Costly Gamble Running Out of Road
The project has reportedly cost Saudi backers over $5 billion so far, and sources indicate that enthusiasm in Riyadh has cooled significantly. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil had earlier dismissed collapse rumours, insisting the season would continue “full throttle,” while acknowledging the league would “probably” need to raise outside funding going forward.
The league also postponed its planned June tournament in New Orleans this week, with officials hoping to reschedule later in the year. Its next event set for May 7–10 at Trump National in suburban Washington, with the final scheduled tournament of the season slated for Indianapolis from August 20–23.
Players who defected from the PGA Tour now face an uncertain future. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp made clear that returning would not be without consequences, stating bluntly: “There were rules, and they were broken. With rules comes accountability.”
The golf world is watching closely.
