Saudi Arabia ends LIV Golf funding, leaving tour's future uncertain
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is ending its support for LIV Golf after this season, casting doubt on the breakaway tour's future.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is ending its financial support for the breakaway LIV Golf tour after this season, leaving the circuit's future in doubt. The decision, confirmed during the tour's season finale in Indianapolis, marks a potential turning point in one of the most divisive episodes in golf's recent history.
LIV Golf launched four years ago as a brash disruptor, backed by Saudi billions and promising to change the game forever. It lured major winners such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm with huge contracts and prize money. But the free-spending days now appear over. Players at the Indianapolis event described a subdued mood, with many unsure what comes next.
Talks are under way with a prospective new investor. Englishman Tyrrell Hatton was among those who met the investor, who outlined a vision for a more financially disciplined league. Players are set to be offered equity under the new structure, which is being called LIV 2.0. However, some players are still owed millions under their existing contracts, and there is no guarantee they will ever be paid in full.
Many players said they cannot decide on their futures until they see more details. One unnamed figure involved in the negotiations said the focus was on completing a transaction, adding that without the players it would be very difficult to move the league forward. The same source expressed confidence that a critical mass of the right players would stay.
LIV players have faced restrictions when trying to play elsewhere. When five-time major champion Brooks Koepka left LIV last year, he struck a deal to return immediately to the PGA Tour. But Rory McIlroy, one of LIV's staunchest critics, does not think that offer would still stand. He said the returning member programme that Koepka used had come and gone, and that it would be a tough road back for anyone seeking to rejoin the PGA.
Everyone involved in LIV knows this is the end of an era. What they do not yet know is whether it is the end, full stop.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Players are set to be offered equity under a new league called LIV 2.0. | |
| Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is ending its financial support for LIV Golf after this season. | |
| Some players are still owed millions under their old contracts. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf's future after Saudi Arabia ends funding, highlighting player anxiety, the proposed LIV 2.0 with a new investor, and the difficulty of returning to the PGA Tour. It includes direct player reactions and Rory McIlroy's scepticism, giving a balanced but slightly pessimistic tone.
- “The mood is subdued, you know. Guys are obviously, there's 57 players out here living, there's 57 different mindsets, regards.”
- “If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then yeah, maybe. But that has sort of come and gone and it's going to be a tough road back.”
- “The free-spending days appear over.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.