Rory McIlroy responds as LIV Golf faces a tough setback with their five-year deal ending.
The future of LIV Golf looks uncertain now that a five-year deal has come to an end. In April, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced it will stop funding LIV after the 2026 season finishes.
LIV was created in 2022 to compete with the PGA Tour, aiming to bring fresh energy to golf. Right from the start, many big names joined the new league. For example, Bryson DeChambeau earned $60 million over three years after switching, and Jon Rahm also made the move.
However, there’s a lot of doubt about where LIV is headed next, especially after some new news. The Asian Tour, which had partnered with LIV since 2021, will now join forces with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour instead. This new partnership will run at least until 2029 and includes sharing events in Asia.
The European Tour said this change “will help provide commercial and playing opportunities,” with a total of 108 tournaments shared between tours. Christian Hardy, Senior Vice President of International at the PGA Tour, explained that working together like this helps grow golf worldwide and create new chances for players.
One of golf’s biggest stars, two-time Masters winner Rory McIlroy, stayed loyal to the PGA Tour. He famously said, “If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on Earth, I would retire.” McIlroy welcomed the Asian Tour’s move and believes the joint effort will be great for the sport. He shared on X, “Positive news, and great to see the respective tours working together for the good of international golf.”
The PIF reportedly poured $5 billion into LIV, so losing this funding will likely cause big changes. LIV’s CEO, Scott O’Neil, is now looking for new investors. Even if LIV keeps going, it seems the league will have to change a lot. Last month, O’Neil said, “I can guarantee a heck of a return if you come invest in this business. We have incredible business momentum. What we don’t have is a lot of time. So, we’re urgently talking to interested parties and hope to wrap this up over the summer.”