LIV Golf has secured a lifeline in its ongoing bid for survival…
LIV Golf has landed a lifeline after securing a lead investor as part of a transition of power to the embattled league’s players.
In a press conference at Trump Bedminster on Wednesday, LIV chief executive O’Neil announced an agreement is in place with an unnamed investor as the league’s quest for survival gathered pace. TG reported last week that LIV was increasingly confident of landing significant investment, and O’Neil now says a deal should now be finalized next month.
LIV has been searching for alternate investors in the tumultuous months since Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced it would be withdrawing its backing at the end of the season.
Now, it appears, the league has a lifeline.
“LIV Golf has an agreement in place with a lead investor, signed by the investor and approved by the Board, to anchor the transaction and play a key role in supporting the path forward for the League’s next era, driven by and for the players,” O’Neil said in a statement.
“We’re also seeing strong interest from more than a dozen additional parties to potentially serve as minority investors, creating a multi-partner model built for long-term stability and growth.
“Notably, our next chapter will make our players the majority equity holders in LIV Golf, a first for a major global sports league, and gives the League the foundation to keep growing the game worldwide. We anticipate finalizing terms in the coming weeks, with the goal of entering a transaction in September. In the meantime, our focus is on delivering a great week for fans and players at Bedminster and finishing the 2026 season strong.”
A scaled-back LIV operation in 2027 will include a leaner schedule of 10 events, with half of those likely to be played outside the United States. Prize money for these tournaments could reduce from this year’s baseline of $30million to around $10million per tournament.
Crucially, players will become the major equity holders in the league from 2027 onwards. It is unclear at this stage whether the move will placate star players such as Jon Rahm, who is still owed at least $100million from the contract he first signed.
O’Neil’s announcement arrived a day after LIV’s other standout star Bryson DeChambeau led a player’s meeting at Bedminster, where LIV has convened for its penultimate regular season event on the calendar.
There is still no word on the season-ending Team Championship in Michigan, which is in a state of flux after Cleeks GC captain told TG the event is “highly unlikely” to go ahead.
More to follow