With LIV Golf’s future reportedly in doubt, CEO Scott O’Neil communicated to players and personnel Wednesday that the league is fully funded through the rest of the year and reports of its imminent shutdown are “false,” according to Golf Channel insider Rex Hoggard.
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that the Saudi Public Investment Fund was “on the verge” of cutting financial support for the league, with The Wall Street Journal adding that the league was facing “imminent closure.”
The Financial Times said that an announcement about the future of the league could come as early as Thursday. Ryan French of Monday Q Info first reported on Tuesday night that a “bombshell” announcement about LIV was imminent.
However, following an executive board meeting in New York City, O’Neil flew to Mexico City, site of this week’s LIV stop, to meet with players and staffers. O’Neil, in a message to players and personnel, described the widespread reporting as “rumors” that were “false,” and said that the tour was “100% funded through the rest of the year,” Hoggard reported. O’Neil had previously told industry sources last week at the Masters that LIV was being funded through 2032.
Earlier Wednesday, the PIF announced that, amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, its board of directors had approved a new five-year investment strategy that will refocus its priorities domestically. LIV was not mentioned in the release.
“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O’Neil wrote in a message to staffers, according to reports. “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. 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.
“The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure. We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we must answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”
The league is currently preparing to host its sixth of 14 events, with the shotgun start slated to begin at 3:15 p.m. ET Thursday. After some uncertainty, the league’s pro-am was held on Wednesday, and first-round tee times were later published on the LIV website. In a press conference, team captain Sergio Garcia said that players were unaware of any news of a potential shutdown.
LIV’s team captains were scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday.
On its social media channels, LIV wrote, “Slow news day? We are ON,” with a breaking-news graphic announcing its Thursday start time.
A look at the timeline of events that led to LIV Golf’s creation, to where things now stand with the circuit.