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LIV Golf loses $300 million funding in potential death knell
BC Partners has withdrawn its proposed funding of up to $300 million for a relaunch of LIV Golf, dealing a major blow to the league’s efforts to continue after Saudi backing ended. LIV is expected to begin liquidating its remaining assets, with a New Jersey bankruptcy court hearing scheduled for Thursday.
The investment firm reportedly doubted there would be enough players committed for 2027. About 30 had signed up, while another 10 star players were undecided; Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter said they would not join the proposed new version. LIV’s Saudi funder, the Public Investment Fund, had reportedly put in more than $5 billion since the league launched in 2022.
In short
- BC Partners has pulled its proposed $300 million LIV Golf funding.
- LIV is expected to begin liquidating its remaining assets.
- Player uncertainty weakened plans for a 2027 relaunch.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
LIV’s proposed relaunch could have preserved jobs, contracts and a route for players to compete outside golf’s established tours. Supporters might argue that roughly 30 players had committed and that a new investor could have given the league time to build a more sustainable business and broaden competition in the sport.
The case against
Withdrawing the funding may be prudent if the proposed league could not attract enough players or demonstrate a viable business after more than $5 billion in reported Saudi investment. Continuing to fund it could risk further losses, while liquidation and the bankruptcy process may provide a clearer way to address remaining assets and obligations.
Explained simply
LIV Golf is a professional golf league launched in 2022 with backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, a government-backed investment body. It recruited established players from other tours, offering them large contracts and staging events around the world.
The league’s finances and future have depended heavily on that funding. A proposed relaunch would need enough players and investment to keep its tournaments running, while changes to the golf landscape could affect players, rival tours and event organisers.
The dispute also sits within wider debate about Saudi investment in sport and the role of private money in professional golf. Its outcome may shape whether LIV continues and what options players have for competing at the highest level.