LIV Golf, the big-money, Saudi-backed breakaway tour that shook up the sports world in 2022, reportedly could be shutting down “imminently.”
According to reports, LIV Golf executives are holding an emergency meeting in New York on Wednesday with an announcement regarding the future of the organization “imminent.”
The Telegraph reports that executives have been summoned to Manhattan for “an emergency summit” and that the reason for the meeting wasn’t provided.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday that the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is close to cutting support to the tour.
The outlet also reported that an announcement on the country’s involvement in LIV Golf could come on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the situation.
The Saudi PIF — which reportedly is valued at nearly $11 trillion US — has invested roughly $5 billion in the PGA rival over the past five years.
LIV Golf is in the midst of holding a $30-million US tournament in Mexico City at Club de Golf Chapultepec, its sixth event of the season.
However, no pre-tournament news conferences were held on Tuesday with organizers reportedly suffering “technical difficulties.”
When did reports initially break?
Golf insider Ryan French, via his Monday Q Info social media handle, broke the news of a supposed “bombshell” announcement about LIV Golf’s future on Tuesday night.
“I’ve heard from multiple sources that a bombshell announcement on LIVs future is imminent,” the post said.
“We don’t give out gambling advice but If you’re a prediction market type person I would bet the under of whatever they have posted.”
French expanded on what he had been told later on X Spaces, revealing he had heard from trustworthy sources that the rebel tour is “shutting down.”
“I have some pretty good sources and I’ve heard that some other people have sources that LIV is shutting down,” he said.
LIV Golf reportedly wasn’t paying bills
French also reported that he has been told that the some players and employees had not been paid and that “power went out because the bill wasn’t paid.”
“I’ve got everything from, and these are people that I trust, that you guys know. Players didn’t get paid today, power went out because the bill wasn’t paid, employees didn’t get paid. Stuff like that,” he said.
“There is definitely a lot going on … Things are not good.”
Golf beat writer Alan Shipnuck later added fuel to the speculation, claiming that a player agent informed him that Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, is aiming to use the U.S.-Iran war “as Force Majeure to pull the plug” on PIF’s LIV venture.
“To use the old Hollywood (saying), No one knows anything. But a tapped-in player agent just texted me, ‘Have heard MBS wants to use the war as Force Majeure to pull the plug,’” he wrote.
LIV Golf has yet to comment on any of the reports but has been posting promotional material and information about the event in Mexico on its social media.
Which golfers have left LIV Golf?
Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed both left LIV Golf earlier this year, agreeing to terms with the PGA Tour to return to the North American loop.
Koepka, a five-time major champion, announced his return to the PGA Tour in January after parting ways with the Saudi-backed golf circuit.
He spent four seasons playing for LIV Golf, ultimately ending his contract one year early.
Koepka rejoined the Tour as part of a new Returning Member Program, which PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp outlined in a memo and later posted on the PGA Tour’s X account.
“Designed to provide an alternative path back to PGA Tour competition for past members who have achieved the highest accomplishments in the game, the Returning Member Program mandates heavy and appropriate limitations to both tournament access and potential earnings that we believe properly holds returning members accountable for substantial compensation earned elsewhere,” the message read.
“It also includes elite performance-based criteria that requires winning the Players Championship, Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open or The Open Championship between 2022 and 2025.”
Reed, 35, joined Koepka a couple of weeks later, posting his decision to leave LIV Golf on his verified Instagram account.
However, unlike Koepka, Reed did not qualify for the Returning Member Program and will be able to officially rejoin the tour on Aug. 25, 2026.
Reed has won nine times on the PGA Tour, including the Masters in 2018, two World Golf Championship events, and two FedEx Cup playoff events.