GOLF: LIV Golf CEO tells players league continuing at 'full throttle' – report

LIV Golf Chief Executive Officer Scott O’Neil has reassured players that the 2026 season will proceed as scheduled, despite reports suggesting that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) may be reconsidering its financial backing of the league.

A senior league source told bunkered.co.uk that funding and operations remain on track for the remainder of the 2026 schedule. The outlet also reported having seen an email from O’Neil to players ahead of Thursday’s tournament start in Mexico City.

“I want to be crystal clear: our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O’Neil wrote. “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.”

He added that LIV Golf continues to embrace challenges as part of its identity as a disruptive force in the sport. “We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo,” the email continued. “We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”

The message followed a social media post on X earlier Wednesday that read, “Slow news day? We are ON!” alongside a graphic teasing a “breaking news” announcement set for 3:15 p.m. ET.

Questions over the league’s stability emerged after a report that senior LIV executives were summoned to New York for an emergency meeting. The Financial Times also reported that the PIF could announce as soon as Thursday a possible reduction in its support for the league.

Press conferences at the Mexico City event were canceled on Tuesday due to power outages, although Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC still held media availability on Wednesday. Garcia dismissed the speculation, saying the team had not received any indication of a shutdown or major changes from league leadership or PIF officials.

“All we’ve heard is what Yasir told us at the beginning of the year—that they are behind us and this is a long-term project,” Garcia said. “There are always rumors, but we haven’t been told anything different.”

Despite the uncertainty, LIV Golf continued to post tee times and promotional material for upcoming events across multiple time zones, signaling that the Mexico City tournament would proceed as planned.

Earlier reports indicated that some members of LIV’s leadership were informed after last week’s Masters that their positions could soon be eliminated. The Athletic also reported that O’Neil has explored restructuring options, including a reduced budget or a revised financial model without full PIF backing.

Since its launch in 2022, LIV Golf has reportedly received more than $5 billion in investment from the PIF, attracting high-profile players such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Phil Mickelson through lucrative contracts and large tournament purses.

The league’s future has come under increased scrutiny amid stagnant television ratings, limited new signings of marquee players, and recent departures of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed back to the PGA Tour. After Mexico City, nine events remain on the LIV Golf 2026 schedule as the league continues its fourth season. -Field Level Media/Reuters