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In April, LIV Golf suffered a major blow after being informed that funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Firm would be cut off at the end of the 2026 season. However, there’s growing speculation it won’t make it that far amid worries its biggest benefactor will decide to cut its losses sooner than expected.
LIV Golf kicked off its fifth season at the start of February after two of its biggest names, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, announced they were defecting back to the PGA Tour. That was less than ideal for an organization that was already struggling on the relevancy front, but the setback paled in comparison to the one that unfolded a couple of months later.
The league has largely relied on money from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to function, although it didn’t have much to show for the more than $6 billion that had been funneled into the venture since its inception. That didn’t stop the powers that be from committing to LIV Golf until 2032, but in April, they reversed course by announcing the money would stop flowing upon the conclusion of the current season.
As things currently stand, there are four events remaining on a schedule that’s slated to wrap up at the end of August. However, whether or not that actually ends up being the case is far from certain.
LIV Golf is reportedly worried it will run out of money before the scheduled end of the 2026 season
The most recent LIV Golf tournament concluded in Spain over the weekend, and the cancellation of the event that was scheduled to unfold in Louisiana at the end of June means there will be a one-and-a-half-month hiatus before players reconvene in England in the final week of July.
That will theoretically be followed by a showdown at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey, which will precede the individual championship in Indianapolis and the team championship in Michigan that will cap off the slate when it gets underway on August 30th.
However, Front Office Sports reports there has been plenty of chatter about money running out before all of those events are played, as one unnamed source familiar with the current state of affairs told the outlet, “Every remaining tournament is on the fence.”
An anonymous LIV Golf executive says the PIF has been providing monthly payments to keep the lights on but said there are questions about whether or not those will continue until the season is scheduled to end, noting, “LIV Golf doesn’t know if or when the PIF will shut off the spigot.” Another insider is fairly pessimistic, saying, “I don’t think they’ll ever get to Michigan.”
The organization is currently courting outside investors in the hopes of continuing without the assistance of the PIF, but there is nothing to suggest it’s close to securing the upwards of $250 million it is reportedly attempting to land to stay alive.