With LIV Golf’s situation getting more complicated, the focus is now shifting to the people running it. And with every new update, things seem to be getting more serious.
According to a report by The New York Times, several senior LIV executives have already started looking for new jobs as doubts grow over the league’s future. The report adds that members of the leadership group were informed after the Masters that they could soon lose their roles.
Thanks for the submission!
That message seems to have triggered movement internally. While discussions around what comes next are ongoing, some executives have also begun preparing for an exit.
At the same time, efforts are still being made to keep things running. LIV is exploring ways to continue, whether that means operating with reduced backing or finding an alternative structure if support from the Public Investment Fund is scaled back.
There have also been other signs that things are not entirely stable. Reports earlier in the week said several LIV executives were called to New York for an urgent meeting, with no senior officials present at the Mexico City venue ahead of the event.
Financially, the pressure has been building for a while. LIV’s UK-based entity reported losses of $590.1 million in 2024, and the league has already taken in billions in funding since its launch. CEO Scott O’Neil had also said earlier this year that it could take five to ten years for the league to become profitable.
At the same time the Public Investment Fund has begun shifting its focus towards more efficient, return-driven investments as part of its new strategy. LIV Golf was not mentioned in that update.
There has also been speculation around possible external factors. Earlier, golf writer Alan Shipnuck reported that a player agent suggested the Saudis may use the situation in Iran as a reason to “pull the plug” on LIV Golf.
For now there is still no official confirmation on what happens next. But with executives preparing for possible exits and funding under question, the situation around the rival tour appears to be moving quickly.
LIV Golf’s long-term picture remains unclear
There were already signs earlier this year that things weren’t entirely smooth inside the PIF-backed league. At the start of 2026 CEO Scott O’Neil had said the league was still some way off from turning a profit, estimating a timeline of five to ten years.
By then the financial gap was clear. The league had taken close to $5 billion from the Public Investment Fund since launch while losses continued to build. Its UK-based arm alone had crossed $1 billion in losses between 2022 and 2024.
The plan at that stage was to keep building. The league explored bringing in outside investment, including selling stakes in its 13 teams, with each team expected to be valued at around $1 billion. Commercially, deals with HSBC and Rolex were also brought in.
At the same time, what players were hearing internally didn’t fully match what’s being reported now.
Sergio Garcia said ahead of the Mexico event that the message from the top had been different.
“That is not what Yasir told us at the beginning of the year,” Garcia said.
“[He told us] that he is behind us, that they have a project of many years. There are always rumours and I cannot comment anything more to you than what we know.”
Players were also told recently that funding is in place until at least 2032, which doesn’t line up with reports suggesting support could be pulled.
The numbers, though, point the other way. LIV reported losses of $461.8 million in its international operations in 2024 alone, taking total losses past $1.1 billion since 2021. Broadcast revenue has also remained limited, with figures around $2.7 million so far.
Edited by Sonali Verma
