Golf’s Saudi-backed league faces funding cut and leadership change

A big player in golf is stepping back as Saudi Arabia’s government investment arm reduces its role in LIV Golf. The fund’s leader, who also started the league, is leaving his position. This move follows plans to shift LIV Golf away from relying entirely on Saudi money, with talks already underway about bringing in new investors. The league, which has spent billions since 2022 to attract top golfers, now needs a fresh business plan to survive without that cash. Reports suggest the group will announce changes soon, including a new team to manage the league. Without the Saudi fund’s deep pockets, questions remain about whether LIV can keep its star players, whose contracts were built on big financial promises.Golf’s traditional tours once sued LIV over unfair competition. A compromise deal was briefly mentioned last year, but it never went anywhere. Instead, LIV kept signing big names like Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson, luring them with huge salaries. Now, those deals are at risk as the league looks for other ways to stay afloat. The CEO of LIV Golf recently said Saudi money would last until 2026, but even that didn’t calm all doubts. Some players have already talked about leaving if the money dries up. Bryson DeChambeau, one of the league’s highest-paid stars, hinted he’d stick around only if the league could make financial sense.