LIV Golf CEO says league has financial commitment to finish season - ESPN

Amid questions about the future of LIV Golf, CEO Scott O'Neil told TNT Sports on Thursday that the league has a financial commitment to finish the 2026 season.

On Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which has invested more than $5 billion into LIV Golf since its first tournament in June 2022, was on the verge of cutting funding.

LIV Golf has eight remaining tournaments this season, including five in the United States.

«The reality is you're funded through the season and then you work like crazy as a business to create a business and a business plan to keep us going,» O'Neil said during Thursday's broadcast of the opening round in Mexico City. «But that's not different from any other private equity-funded business in the history of man.»

O'Neil, who on Wednesday sent a memo to staff saying the 2026 season would continue at «full throttle,» on Thursday said he had met with 50 people at the Masters and rolled out a plan that «might surprise people.»

LIV Golf has said some of its metrics, such as ticket sales and team sponsorships, have increased, and O'Neil is projecting 10 of the 13 teams and four of the 14 events will be profitable.

However, there is a substantial cost involved with prize funds ($30 million for each tournament) and operations.

«Given the momentum of this business, we're really excited about where we are and the position where we are,» O'Neil said. "… This notion of bringing teams to market, I had two calls this morning. This notion of, 'Do you have to raise money?' Probably. This is business. But if we keep the trajectory going the way we are and the revenue growth going, this is going to be a really good business for a really long time."

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