Four tournaments remain on LIV Golf's schedule, but questions about funding have created uncertainty over whether the league will finish the season as planned.
The Open Championship begins at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, July 16. One week later, LIV Golf is scheduled to resume its 2026 season at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester, England. Four events remain on the schedule. Whether all four happen is a legitimate question.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund announced in April that it would fund LIV only through the end of the 2026 season, a decision that immediately raised questions across professional golf. LIV co-founder Yasir Al-Rumayyan stepped down as chairman during the same week.
Since then, the financial picture has become more complicated. The PIF has invested an estimated $5 billion to $8 billion in LIV since the league launched in 2021 but has provided roughly $196 million this season, about $66 million in May and another $130 million in June. The Financial Times reported LIV needs approximately $600 million to meet its remaining obligations in 2026, including player contracts, operating costs and tournament purses. That leaves a funding gap of more than $400 million with four tournaments left.
A high-ranking executive at one of LIV's major league-level partners was blunt when speaking with Front Office Sports.
"Every remaining tournament is on the fence."
LIV CEO Scott O'Neil has continued to express confidence publicly. When CNBC asked whether he could guarantee all four remaining events would be played, he avoided giving a direct answer.
"What I can guarantee is a heck of a return if you come invest in this business," O'Neil said.
The league also canceled a scheduled event in New Orleans in late June without announcing a replacement. LIV Golf UK and the event at Trump National Bedminster in early August are viewed as the most likely to proceed as scheduled. The final two tournaments, in Indianapolis and Michigan during the final two weeks of August, reportedly depend on additional funding from the PIF.
LIV is also seeking outside investors; the league is seeking between $250 million and $350 million from private equity firms, family offices, and high-net-worth investors to continue beyond 2026.
The recent addition of corporate restructuring executives Gene Davis and Jon Zinman as independent directors drew attention because of their backgrounds working with companies facing financial distress. Bloomberg also reported this week that LIV has begun preparing for a potential bankruptcy filing.
If outside investment arrives, the league is expected to look much different. LIV has pitched a 10-event schedule for 2027, down from 14 tournaments, with total purses reduced from $32.3 million to roughly $10 million per event.
Bryson DeChambeau's contract expires after this season, and he has publicly acknowledged he would consider focusing on YouTube if LIV folds. Jon Rahm remains under contract through 2029 but has said little publicly about his long-term future with the league.
Before the first tee shot of LIV's return, the league still needs a call securing its financial future.
