Speculation over the future of LIV Golf ran rampant after league executives reportedly were summoned to New York for an emergency summit on Wednesday.
One report said to expect a “bombshell announcement” and suggested that the Saudi-backed circuit could be on the verge of financial collapse.
“I have some pretty good sources and I’ve heard that some other people have sources that LIV is shutting down,” said golf reporter Ryan French of the X account Monday Q Info, which has nearly 200,000 followers.
Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee also predicted the end of LIV Golf, which launched in 2022 with lucrative contracts for former PGA Tour stars such as Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.
“Given that the product was so ill-conceived and ended up being worse than anyone could have imagined,” Chamblee posted on X. “With shotgun starts, initially 54 holes, a team concept that was nothing but laughable and tournaments that meant and continue to mean nothing, and such a paltry number of viewers, losing billions along the way — would it surprise anyone if the Saudis came to their corrupted senses and finally euthanized the whole lame-brained tour.”
Conflicting reports said LIV Golf was not experiencing outward financial problems.
“I’ve spoken directly to multiple people within LIV Golf who all say they have had no issue with being paid,” Flushing It Golf posted on X. “Future venues are proceeding as normal, with no indication that anything will change. And players are getting ready to tee it up in today’s pro am, fully expecting LIV Golf Mexico City to go ahead as planned.”
The LIV Golf Mexico City tournament is set to begin on Thursday. There are nine events remaining on the schedule for the 2026 season.
During a press availability in Mexico City on Wednesday, LIV Golf star Sergio Garcia said the players are in a holding pattern.
“We have not heard anything,” Garcia said, translated from Spanish.
Garcia said a potential shutdown would be contrary to what they have heard from Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund that has reportedly poured more than $5 billion into LIV Golf.
“That is not what Yasir told us at the beginning of the year, that he is behind us, that they have a project of many years,” Garcia said.
–Field Level Media
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