LIV Golf Files for US Bankruptcy Protection After Saudi Funding Ends

LIV Golf has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States after losing the backing of its Saudi investors, according to reporting by Agence France-Presse published by The Guardian. The breakaway golf tour announced the filing on Tuesday as it seeks time to pursue a potential transaction and reshape its business.

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Chief executive Scott O'Neil said the bankruptcy process would provide the structure and time needed to pursue what he described as a landmark transaction and the next phase of LIV Golf. The organisation had already laid off most of its staff earlier in September, reflecting the financial pressure facing the circuit after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund ended its support this year.

The Public Investment Fund had spent an estimated $5 billion on LIV since the competition launched in 2022, The Guardian reported. LIV used that backing to recruit prominent players from the PGA Tour and establish a rival schedule, creating a major split within professional golf. Its loss of financial support has left the league searching for new investors and a sustainable operating model.

LIV said it still intends to return in a new form in 2027, with plans centred on fans and a player-first ownership structure. However, the company stressed that it has not made definitive decisions about next year's schedule or any individual tournaments. It is also seeking recognition of the US bankruptcy proceeding in England and Wales so the process can cover its international assets and operations.

The future involvement of leading players remains uncertain. LIV said it is in advanced discussions with players, including talks about an ownership structure designed to align their interests with the league's longer-term prospects. Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm are among the high-profile names whose continued participation has not been confirmed.

Reports have linked several LIV players with possible returns to the PGA Tour or moves to other circuits. The PGA Tour, however, has said it has no plans to create a route back for LIV players. For now, the bankruptcy filing leaves LIV's proposed 2027 return dependent on new investment, unresolved player negotiations and decisions about a reduced future schedule.