LIV Golf Seeks New Investment as 2026 Season Ends in Uncertainty

LIV Golf is seeking a new investment agreement as its 2026 season reaches an uncertain conclusion in Indianapolis. BBC Sport reported from the event at Chatham Hills Golf Club that the league's Saudi backers have withdrawn funding after spending more than $5 billion, leaving the competition dependent on a new transaction to continue in a revised form.

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The Indianapolis tournament became the season finale after LIV canceled a team event scheduled for later in August in Michigan. The league said the change was financially necessary and would allow its leadership to focus on what it calls its next chapter. Planned live music performances in Indianapolis were also removed, and routine player news conferences were canceled before the event.

BBC Sport said multiple sources identified Ted Goldthorpe, head of the credit division at investment firm BC Partners, as the prospective investor behind the plan. Goldthorpe attended LIV's previous event in Bedminster, New York, and met players as a group in Indianapolis. His stated vision, according to the report, centers on making the league sustainable and ultimately profitable.

Chief executive Scott O'Neil has promoted the proposed structure as a second phase for LIV. BBC Sport reported that the plan would retain core features such as shotgun starts and team competition, while reducing the schedule to 10 events across five continents. Selling team franchises is expected to form part of the model. Players have also been promised equity and the return of commercial name, image and likeness rights, although the value and precise terms remain unclear.

The financial approach would be more restrained. Prize money at Indianapolis was roughly half the level offered at previous LIV events, and the BBC reported that the league's overall losses are expected to total several billion dollars. O'Neil said there is a deadline for players to commit to the proposed new structure, but he did not disclose it. He also said he was confident LIV could retain a critical mass of players needed for a transaction.

Several leading players stopped short of committing their futures. Graeme McDowell described the mood among players as subdued and said he would assess his options after the event. Cameron Smith said LIV had benefited his family and golf in Australia but that he needed time to consider what comes next. Bryson DeChambeau acknowledged the obstacles facing the league while expressing hope that it would receive another opportunity. No completed investment deal has been announced, leaving LIV's continuation beyond Indianapolis unresolved.