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LIV Golf CEO vows season will continue 'exactly as planned' amid shutdown rumors

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz04/15/26NickSchultz_7

As rumors continue to swirl about a potential shutdown, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said the season will continue “exactly as planned,” according to an email obtained by ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Multiple reports said the league’s future is in question amid concerns about funding.

The Financial Times reported Wednesday the Saudi Arabia-backed Public Investment Fund (PIF) is “on the verge” of pulling funding for LIV Golf. The news broke as players were in Mexico City ahead of this week’s event, scheduled to tee off Thursday. Golfers on-site said they had not heard anything regarding LIV’s future as of Wednesday afternoon.

In his email, O’Neil acknowledged the speculation regarding what’s next for LIV. He made it clear the season is set to move forward, full-speed ahead.

“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O’Neil wrote. “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.

“The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure. We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”

LIV Golf staffers reportedly looking for ‘life raft’

As rumors swirled about a possible shutdown, The Athletic reported some LIV staffers are looking for a “life raft” as they considered their own futures. Meetings among high-level executives are currently taking place about the future of the league. However, players had not been told anything about the next steps, according to Sergio Garcia.

“No, honestly, we haven’t heard anything other than what Yasir [Al-Rumayyan] already told us at the beginning of the year, that he is behind us,” Garcia said Wednesday, via Golfweek. “And well, honestly, you know how these rumors are. There are always a lot of them and I can’t tell you anything more than what we already know.”

LIV launched in 2022 as a competitor to the PGA Tour with rule changes. Notably, were 54 holes rather than the 72 played on the PGA Tour. Golfers were also able to wear shorts. Music also played during competition, marking a stark shift in atmosphere.