LIV Golf has secured a new lead investor that would allow the breakaway league to continue operating without Saudi Arabian financial backing while granting its players significant equity stakes, marking a pivotal moment in the tour’s uncertain future.
Chief Executive Scott O’Neil announced the agreement on Wednesday, on the eve of LIV Golf New York at Trump Bedminster, describing it as a signal of “the path forward for the League’s next era, driven by and for the players.” The deal has been approved by LIV’s board, though the identity of the investor has not been disclosed.
O’Neil said he expected to finalize terms in the coming weeks, with the goal of completing the arrangement in September. He added that the league is fielding “strong interest” from more than a dozen other parties positioned to become minority investors.
The initiative, internally referred to as “LIV Golf 2.0,” envisions a restructured competition with players holding equity ownership, a departure from the model that has defined the tour since its launch.
LIV Golf debuted in 2022 with the financial support of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, paying nine-figure bonuses to draw top players such as Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm away from the PGA Tour with $20 million prize funds. The circuit has since become one of the most disruptive forces in professional golf.
The move comes after the Public Investment Fund indicated earlier this year that it would cease funding the league following the 2026 season. The shift prompted immediate consequences, including the cancellation of an event in New Orleans.
The season’s remaining schedule has also faced disruption. LIV is set to play in Indianapolis from August 20 to 23, but the season-ending team championship in Michigan has been in doubt for several weeks, largely because the host course had not yet begun preparations for a tournament scheduled to start within weeks.
Team captains met with O’Neil on Tuesday, and DeChambeau led a players-only meeting later that afternoon, though participants did not disclose details of the discussions.
Since its inception, LIV has reshaped the professional game by attracting high-profile names, including Jon Rahm’s headline-making decision to join the Saudi-backed circuit, a signing that underscored the league’s ambitions and its financial reach.
With the September deadline approaching, the coming weeks are expected to determine whether the restructured, player-centric model can secure the stability the league has sought since its funding arrangement began to unravel.