&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "LIV begins to die: Players' future in limbo after Saudi PIF withdraws funding beyond 2026")
As Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has pulled its support from the LIV Golf beyond 2026, the future of the players is now in limbo. Most of the players had left PGA Tour - the powerhouse of golf - to be in Saudi's rebel tour which now is facing uncertain future. Started in 2021, Saudi PIF has spent nearly $5 billion on LIV and now seems to say enough. The decision was taken after the LIV executives met Wednesday (Apr 8) last week in New York during the Master week. Without the PIF backing, LIV will definitely find it hard to continue with each event carrying a purse of $30 million.
Why PIF is withdrawing support for LIV?
Started as Saudi's ambitious plan to disrupt the sports world, LIV saw many top players like Bryson DeChambeau, John Rahm, Brooks Koepka and others. The reason for PIF withdrawing the backing could have stemmed from ongoing trouble in West Asia which has seen the US and Iran engaging in hostilities. In response to the US's aggression, Iran launched attacked on various US bases in the region including Saudi Arabia. Saudi may be also be looking at investments in sports with potential of some return rather than just funding the sports blindly.
What about the players involved with LIV?
The latest development has left the future of players involved in limbo. LIV CEO Scott O'Neil's e-mail in the aftermath also did little to calm the nerves as it didn't mention 2027.
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'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 organisation that is bigger, louder and more influential than ever before," read a part of the e-mail as reported by the Guardian.
As for the players, Koepka has returned to PGA with Patrick Reed expected to complete the journey soon. The path back does not seem smooth for DeChambeau and Rahm who now have lost bargaining chips with the rebel tour's future uncertain. The same goes for Phil Mickelson who has not been on good terms with PGA when her joined LIV.
As a result of LIV fallout, DP World Tour, earlier called European Tour, could be the biggest gainer as it has showed interest since long back to be associated with the LIV players.
