LIV Golf CEO Says League Will Continue as McIlroy Questions Its Value
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O'Neil says he remains confident the league will continue beyond this season, even as it works against what he described as a compressed timeline to secure new funding.
Speaking on Wednesday ahead of the league's season finale in Indianapolis, O'Neil acknowledged the scale of the task facing LIV after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund confirmed earlier this year that it would stop bankrolling the circuit beyond 2026. The PIF is reported to have spent more than $5 billion on the venture since its launch in 2022.
A Reduced Model for 2027
O'Neil laid out a plan for what the league is calling its next chapter. The proposed 2027 structure would feature a 10-event schedule, made up of five international championships and five signature events held predominantly in the United States. Purses would be smaller than in previous seasons, but players would receive equity in the league and regain a majority of their commercial rights. Under the plan, players would also be free to compete on other tours where eligible or invited.
The league has reportedly agreed terms with a new lead investor, understood to be London-based private equity firm BC Partners, though the deal has not been finalised and LIV has not publicly confirmed the identity of the backer or the sum involved. O'Neil indicated that completing the transaction depends in part on players committing to the new model.
He said the league still had work to do and hurdles to clear, describing the transaction as complex, but added that he would not bet against LIV getting it done.
The season has been a difficult one off the course. LIV cancelled its team championship, originally scheduled for Michigan, and rolled the event into the Indianapolis tournament. The league has also faced multiple lawsuits, and reports have suggested some players are still awaiting payment from an earlier event at Bedminster.
McIlroy Pushes Back
The uncertainty has fuelled speculation about where LIV players will end up if the league folds or contracts significantly. Bryson DeChambeau's contract expires at the end of this season, and Jon Rahm, this year's LIV individual champion, has also been linked with a return to the PGA Tour.
Rory McIlroy, speaking at the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club, was sceptical about what those players would bring back with them. Asked whether certain LIV golfers should be allowed to return, McIlroy questioned whether they had brought value to LIV in the first place, adding that he believes the PGA Tour is in a strong position.
McIlroy said his position on the breakaway circuit has not changed, describing LIV as something that has never been good for the game, and said the PGA Tour remains the best platform for the world's leading players. He also said he takes no satisfaction from people losing their jobs as a result of LIV's difficulties.
Scottie Scheffler took a softer line, saying LIV has a small number of players who would add real value to the PGA Tour, while suggesting there should still be penalties attached to any return.
There is currently no formal pathway back to the PGA Tour for LIV players. Brooks Koepka returned in January under a bespoke arrangement, forfeiting player equity shares for five years and giving up eligibility for the FedEx Cup bonus programme in 2026.
