WSJ: LIV Golf to tell players and staff by Thursday that tour will lose Saudi funding at end of season
Source: CNN Sports
Updated Apr 29, 2026, 5:09 PM ET
PUBLISHED Apr 29, 2026, 4:55 PM ET
LIV Golf is facing an existential threat, as its Saudi backers are expected to pull funding from the league as early as Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The Saudi-backed circuit aimed to rival the PGA Tour as the worlds preeminent destination for pro golf by luring some of the games top names with huge sums of money, largely from Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund. The Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, that LIV planned to inform players and staff by Thursday that it is withdrawing its backing at the end of the season. CNN Sports has reached out to LIV Golf for comment on the Journals report.
Launched in 2022 with an initial $400 million investment, LIV Golf looked to rival the PGA Tour by featuring $250 million in prize purses, initially threatening to shake the foundations of the sport. The PGA Tour declined to comment when asked about Wednesdays report.
The league is primarily funded by PIF, the sovereign wealth fund chaired by Mohammed bin Salman the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and the man who a US intelligence report named as responsible for approving the operation that led to the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Bin Salman has denied involvement in Khashoggis murder.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/29/sport/liv-golf-funding-saudi-arabia
REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143650905
no_hypocrisy
(55,181 posts)American Football League in the 80's, he failed again to attain a similar goal, but this time in golf (by proxy).
Not to mention, no Saudi money gives Trump a "sad" with no more subsidies to his golf clubs.
lapfog_1
(31,954 posts)people still hate MBS aka Mister Bone Saw, no matter how much money he throws into golf tournaments.
Plus they are going to need to conserve some money for a year or 5 due to the stupid war his buddy Trump started with Iran.
I think this bodes ill for Jared getting more money too.
BumRushDaShow
(171,385 posts)THAT is the real reason. They are going broke just like the UAE (who just pulled out of OPEC) despite the high oil prices, because they can't guarantee delivery.
WTI crude spiked well over $110/bbl overnight and is currently sitting in the $104/bbl range (with Brentt around $108/bbl) at post time.
Multichromatic
(184 posts)Shrek
(4,446 posts)Ray Bruns
(6,603 posts)Translation, Mango Moron in the White House made us go broke with his stupid war
Vinca
(54,220 posts)Shrek
(4,446 posts)And the hill to get back on Tour could be even steeper for golfers with less illustrious track records. The Tour already drew a line in the sand when the previous returning member program was strictly limited to recent major champions.
Were interested in having the best players who can help our tour, Rolapp said. Not every player can do that.
NCDem47
(3,511 posts)So let me get this straight
They handed out cartoonishly large contracts $200M here, $150M there like it was Monopoly money, all propped up by Saudi cash
and now were supposed to believe this thing stands on its own?
Without that bottomless fund, LIV isnt a tour its a very expensive exhibition with a scoreboard.
Are those contracts still getting paid? Because unless theres a secret revenue stream nobodys heard of, the math doesnt exactly math. Turns out disrupting golf is a lot easier when someone else is footing the bill.
blue blues
(83 posts)Everything Trump touches dies..... oh so much WINNING
Henry203
(950 posts)twodogsbarking
(19,167 posts)NBachers
(19,535 posts)twodogsbarking
(19,167 posts)pwb
(12,786 posts)Looks like Bin Salman is not going to kiss trumps ass over his war eh?
Bengus81
(10,298 posts)Once again Trump KILLS everything he touches..............
Prairie Gates
(8,380 posts)I won't watch a single round anymore.
DonCoquixote
(13,976 posts)The privilege of Billionaire wealth is that you can make Million-Dollar blunders and still know you will be never have to worry about being broke.
ChicagoTeamster
(1,152 posts)PGA already told Trump to go pound sand after Jan6 and I don't think there's any other major professional golf associations. Most of the other golf associations are amateur even in Europe where they have the DP World Tour which was formerly a PGA sponsored European event.
His new Saudi and other Gulf partners are probably going to end their golf relationships with the Trump org as soon as he's out of office if not before thanks to Trump's Iran mistake/crime.
Maybe Netanyahu will let him partner in rebuilding Israel's Caesarea Golf Club if the Iranians blow it up.
Are Epstein's Island or Zorro Ranch big enough for golf courses? Maybe Trump can start the PedoGA.
Prairie Gates
(8,380 posts)when the rockets started flying.