The LIV Golf league is poised to lose its multi-billion-dollar backing from Saudi Arabia, leaving more than 50 stars in limbo. According to the Wall Street Journal, a new strategic plan is expected to be unveiled today as the search for fresh investors begins.
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) intends to pull its funding for the league once the current season concludes. LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan is also anticipated to resign from his role.
As a result, the tour's future hangs in the balance, with numerous leading golfers affected by the development. Bryson DeChambeau was amongst the first big names to abandon the PGA Tour for LIV's lucrative offer, with Phil Mickelson following his fellow American to the breakaway circuit.
Jon Rahm was ultimately convinced to make the switch to LIV, but now all three stars face an uncertain period in their professional lives. This comes despite LIV Golf chief executive Scott O'Neil insisting earlier this month that the tour had secured funding through to the season's end. He said: 'It's just not the way the world works. We have commitments to have this being a going concern. 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. But that's not different from any other private equity-funded business in the history of mankind.'
Every LIV Golf Player Hit by PIF's Decision to Pull Financial Backing
Here is a list of all the golfers affected by the withdrawal of funding:
- Bryson DeChambeau (Captain)
- Phil Mickelson (C)
- Jon Rahm (C)
- Dustin Johnson (C)
- Martin Kaymer (C)
- Sergio Garcia (C)
- Byeong-hun An (C)
- Lee Westwood (C)
- Ian Poulter (C)
- Bubba Watson (C)
- Cameron Smith (C)
- Talor Gooch (C)
- Louis Oosthuizen (C)
- Joaquin Niemann (C)
- Patrick Reed
- Thomas Pieters
- Thomas Detry
- Richard Bland
- Adrian Meronk
- Victor Perez
- Paul Casey
- Charles Howell III
- Anirban Lahiri
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Josele Ballester
- David Puig
- Luis Masaveu
- Cameron Tringale
- Brendan Steele
- Michael La Sasso
- Danny Lee
- Min-kyu Kim
- Young-han Song
- Cale Surratt
- Tom McKibbin
- Sam Horsfield
- Laurie Canter
- Peter Uihlein
- Matt Wolff
- Ben Campbell
- Marc Leishman
- Lucas Herbert
- Elvis Smylie
- Jason Kokrak
- Graeme McDowell
- Harold Varner III
- Charl Schwartzel
- Dean Burmester
- Branden Grace
- Carlos Ortiz
- Sebastian Munoz
- Abraham Ancer
- Scott Vincent
- Yosuke Asaji
- Richard T Lee
- Bjorn Hellgren
- Anthony Kim
The breakaway league could change forever as players now face an uncertain future.
