Two LIV Golf events at risk as $400million problem emerges

A new problem has emerged for LIV Golf as the league battles for survival…

In an interview with CNBC this week, LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil was asked if Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund could pull the plug on his embattled league even earlier than was anticipated.

LIV is currently fighting for survival in a time-bound search for alternate investment after the PIF announced it will divest at the end of the 2026 season – but rumblings in recent days have suggested the league may struggle to complete their remaining events.

“Well, I can say [PIF have] been terrific partners so far,” O’Neil said. “And you have to take an incredible organization like PIF at their word. And they’ve been very public about funding us through the season.”

O’Neil was pressed on whether he could guarantee that the remaining four LIV events on the current calendar will go ahead as planned.

“What I can guarantee,” he repied, “is a heck of a return if you come invest in this business.”

In the meantime, uncertainty continues to swirl around LIV as it begins an unplanned summer break following the cancellation of an event in New Orleans.

The next LIV event will not be until the week after the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, when the league heads to JCB Golf & Country Club for its UK event on July 23-26.

Despite reports suggesting otherwise, that tournament is set to go ahead, but concern is growing for the final events in LIV’s calendar.

According to the Financial Times, LIV’s two final stops in Indianapolis and Michigan are under threat due to doubts about additional PIF funding being made available.

The FT cite multiple sources who claim LIV needs $600million to get through to the end of the season, with obligations including player contracts, prize money and infrastructure costs.

So far, the PIF has delivered just shy of $200 million – $66 million in May and an additional $130 million this month. So there is a still a $400 million shortfall in funding at this stage and a source told FT that PIF’s incentive to continue spending on the league “would diminish the longer LIV went without securing a new backer.”

In a statement back in April, Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund said: “PIF has made the decision to fund LIV Golf only for the remainder of the 2026 season. The substantial investment required by LIV Golf over a longer term is no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s investment strategy.”