USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
LIV Golf has four events left on the schedule during what could be its final season, but there’s growing speculation it may run out of money before they’re all played. The league’s CEO didn’t do much to quell those concerns, as he strangely attempted to court investors while refusing to answer a question about whether or not the league will be able to survive until the end of August.
Greg Norman was tapped to serve as the CEO of LIV Golf as it was gearing up to go toe-to-toe with the PGA Tour before kicking off its inaugural season in 2022. However, there weren’t many bright spots to point to when his tenure officially came to an end at the start of 2025 with the changing of the guard that led to him being replaced by Scott O’Neil.
O’Neil previously served as the president of the holding company that oversees the Knicks and the Rangers before stepping into similar executive roles for the 76ers and the Devils. It was hard to envy the situation he inherited when he came aboard, and he has not exactly managed to stage a drastic turnaround since taking the reins around a year and a half ago.
As was the case with the players who are affiliated with the organization, O’Neil was under the impression that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had committed to LIV Golf until 2032. However, in April, the league’s biggest backers reverse course by revealing their plan to turn off the spigot at the end of the 2026 season.
O’Nel has spent the past couple of months scrambling to slap together a contingency plan that hinges on his ability to find investors willing to contribute to the nine-figure sum LIV Golf says it needs to survive without the assistance of the PIF, and he’s doing everything in his power to court them while staring down the barrel of an existential crisis.
LIV Golf CEO deflected a question about whether or not it will be able to complete the 2026 season
As things currently stand, LIV Golf has four tournaments planned until its season wraps up with the team championship in Michigan in August. However, insiders are reportedly growing increasingly pessimistic when it comes to whether or not they’ll actually be played, as it seems like the PIF could decide to cut its losses and prematurely pull the plug.
O’Neil has had to grapple with those worries while simultaneously working on a contingency plan in an attempt to keep LIV Golf running without the support of the Saudis, one that will require the league to raise between $150 million and $250 million in order to stay afloat.
It’s hard to blame him for shooting his shot at potential investors when he appeared on CNBC’s Halftime Report on Tuesday, although he did so while ignoring a question about whether or not LIV Golf will play out the remainder of the schedule by responding, “What I can guarantee is a heck of a return if you come invest in this business.”
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil was asked about Sunday’s @FOS report today on CNBC.
Q: Can you guarantee today that the 4 remaining tournaments on your schedule will actually take place?
O’Neil: “What I can guarantee is a heck of a return if you come invest in this business.” https://t.co/XYEGcHa3VR pic.twitter.com/AhXo3wVCc6
— David Rumsey (@_DavidRumsey) June 9, 2026
I can’t help but respect the hustle, but I’m also not sure that’s the kind of answer (or lack thereof) a potential investor is looking for.