LIV Golf lays off many of its employees as it prepares for second iteration with new investors
LIV Golf is laying off many employees from the first week of September as it reduces operations following the end of Saudi Public Investment Fund funding after the 2026 season. The move is part of a transition towards a proposed “LIV 2.0”, which the league hopes will continue in 2027 with new investment and a revised structure.
The 2026 season ended on 23 August in Indianapolis, while the planned Team Championship in Michigan was cancelled earlier in the month. CEO Scott O’Neil said in August that LIV had signed a term sheet with an unnamed lead investor, subject to further details; players are expected to hold a majority equity stake, and the reported 2027 plan comprises 10 events, split evenly between the US and international venues.
- LIV Golf will lay off many staff in September.
- PIF funding ends after the 2026 season.
- LIV hopes to relaunch with new investment in 2027.
New here? Start with this
LIV Golf is a professional golf league launched in 2022 to compete with the established tours. It is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and has attracted players with large contracts and a team-based format, while its funding and links to Saudi Arabia have drawn scrutiny.
The league’s chief executive is Scott O’Neil, and its players compete in teams as well as individually. Its future matters to players, staff and golf because changes to LIV’s funding and structure could affect where and how the league operates, and how it fits alongside other professional tours.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This restructuring represents a pragmatic shift toward long-term sustainability. By moving to a player-owned model and securing new investment, LIV Golf can operate on commercially rational terms rather than relying on unlimited sovereign wealth funding. A focused operation of 10 global events can still provide significant value to players and audiences whilst maintaining financial discipline and aligning player incentives with tour success.
The case against
The layoffs and contraction to 10 events represent a substantial scaling back from LIV Golf's original vision for transforming professional golf, raising questions about whether the tour has achieved sustainable commercial viability on its own terms. The transition to new, unnamed investors and move away from Saudi funding creates uncertainty, whilst the smaller footprint may prompt scepticism about whether the significant disruption to the golf landscape was justified by the ultimate outcome.