WSJ: LIV Golf to tell players and staff by Thursday that tour will lose Saudi funding at end of season

[BumRushDaShow]

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 world’s preeminent destination for pro golf by luring some of the game’s top names with huge sums of money, largely from Saudi Arabia’s 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 Journal’s 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 Wednesday’s 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 Khashoggi’s murder.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/29/sport/liv-golf-funding-saudi-arabia

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143650905

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Like Trump's hapless attempt to compete and replace the NFL with his

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]

2. Redwashing failed

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]

7. "Plus they are going to need to conserve some money for a year or 5 due to the stupid war his buddy Trump started"

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]

3. Trump and Saudi Arabia's golf venture failed.... aaawwww. Too bad. LOL

[Shrek]

4. Gift link to cited WSJ piece

Gift link

[Ray Bruns]

5. "the operation was no longer consistent with the new phase of PIF's investment strategy."

Translation, “Mango Moron in the White House made us go broke with his stupid war”

[Vinca]

6. Now they'll come crawling back to the PGA money train.

[Shrek]

8. Easier said than done

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.

“We’re interested in having the best players who can help our tour,” Rolapp said. “Not every player can do that.”

[NCDem47]

9. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving bunch.

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 we’re supposed to believe this thing stands on its own?

Without that bottomless fund, LIV isn’t a tour — it’s a very expensive exhibition with a scoreboard.

Are those contracts still getting paid? Because unless there’s a secret revenue stream nobody’s heard of, the math doesn’t exactly math. Turns out “disrupting golf” is a lot easier when someone else is footing the bill.

[blue blues]

10. Can we all say it together

Everything Trump touches dies..... oh so much WINNING

[Henry203]

11. No more Phil or Sergio.

[twodogsbarking]

12. Maybe they can all get jobs handing out clubs at mini-golf.

[NBachers]

16. Or driving the ball-retrieving tractor at the driving range that everyone tries to hit.

[twodogsbarking]

20. Better yet but the line to hit would be very long.

[pwb]

13. Trumps foul mouth ruined it.

Looks like Bin Salman is not going to kiss trumps ass over his war eh?

[Bengus81]

14. I read the PGA is in no hurry to take any of them back

Once again Trump KILLS everything he touches..............

[Prairie Gates]

19. PGA is just as bad - all of American golf has been embarrassingly MAGAfied

I won't watch a single round anymore.

[DonCoquixote]

15. F-A-F-O

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]

17. And there will never be another professional golf tournament at any Trump affiliated courses ever again.

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]

18. The Saudis realized that all their ridiculous clown deals with the Trumps weren't worth shit

when the rockets started flying.