LIV Golf Signs Lead Investor to Fund 2027 Season
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- LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil announced a signed agreement with an unnamed lead investor, approved by the LIV Golf board, with the transaction expected to complete in September.
- The Saudi Public Investment Fund said in April it would end its multibillion-dollar backing at season's end after investing more than $5bn (£3.71bn) since LIV's 2022 launch.
- O'Neil said LIV will make players "majority equity holders" — "a first for a major global sports league" — and that more than a dozen additional parties have expressed interest as minority investors.
- LIV Golf will cut to 10 events next season (five in the US, five internationally), down from 14 planned for 2026, and the June New Orleans event was postponed in April without a rescheduled date.
- Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Martin Kaymer, and Sergio Garcia remain on the LIV roster; Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed rejoined the PGA Tour under its returning member programme.
- The PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour formed a new alliance in July — described in the article as the latest blow to LIV Golf's competitive position.
Why it matters: LIV Golf replaces Saudi PIF's $5bn+ commitment with an unnamed backer while handing players majority equity — a novel structure in global sport that secures survival through 2027 but leaves the circuit running a smaller 10-event schedule and still weakened by rival tour alliances siphoning talent.
