A little over 24 hours ago, LIV Golf thought its financial future was the biggest fire to put out. Reportedly, PIF had said it would stop funding the league. But just as Scott O’Neil started cleaning up the mess, a new lawsuit has thrown gasoline on the flames.

A court filing from April 16 reveals that Premier Golf and its parent company, World Golf Group Limited, have filed a lawsuit against the Public Investment Fund and Golf Saudi. The lawsuit also names various LIV Golf entities and two individuals, whose names were not revealed. The idea of the Premier League was touted in 2019 as an alternative to the PGA Tour.

Now, the Premier Golf League has accused LIV Golf of stealing its original format. Before LIV came into being, PGL was supposed to carry forward Greg Norman’s vision of a global league. The Australian legend and the PGL had discussed the 54-hole, 48-player format with no cuts and shotgun starts. In fact, PGL pitched the idea of a team-based event with a $20M purse to Golf Saudi–a subsidiary of PIF. However, PIF went on to form its own league, LIV Golf, led by Greg Norman. Interestingly enough, Andrew Gardiner, the man behind the Premier Golf League, claimed that PIF was one of the shareholders of his company.

In a 2022 interview with Golf Digest, the British attorney and businessman said, “Well, if you’re referring to the financial support we have, our shareholder base is extraordinarily diverse, just north of 60 partners, and we’ve been very selective about each. The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia is incredibly passionate about golf and its future, and I’m delighted to have them involved.”

Gardiner’s idea was of a league with 18 tournaments, 10 of which were supposed to be played in the USA and the rest across various parts of the world. PGL also proposed a 13th team, which can consist of players that fans get to choose. The idea of a separate league caused quite a stir at that time, with Rory McIlroy declaring he would never be a part of it even before the league came into being.

Nevertheless, Gardiner went into obscurity after LIV Golf’s launch, with many assuming he had been roped in by LIV Golf as their format and structure bore an uncanny similarity. The lawsuit from World Golf Group changes that perception altogether. With the Saudi-based league walking on thin ice and amid the financial crisis, this presents the perfect opportunity for the World Golf Group Limited to take action. If the litigation continues, it might further damage the relationship between LIV Golf and PIF.

It should be noted that LIV Golf is already embroiled in another legal battle. New York distillery Long Island Vodka for “blatant  trademark infringement.” The Saudi-backed league started selling alcohol with “LIV” written on the cans, which confused consumers. Long Island Vodka sought compensatory damages and an injunction to stop the PIF-funded league from selling alcohol.

This news comes after multiple reports claimed that PIF might pull the plug on LIV Golf. Reportedly, this might be the last season of the breakaway league, with the Saudi government planning to declare “force majeure” to stop financing the league. However, Scott O’Neil dismantled all rumors and claimed LIV would go on as it was for this season. Nevertheless, speculations are still rife, and the latest broadcast issue did little to help O’Neil’s claims.

Scott O’Neil and LIV Golf have no room to breathe

With its primary backer almost set to exit, the Saudi-based league already has too many things to worry about. One thing that O’Neil has been positive about is finding new investors. The LIV Golf CEO’s connections on Wall Street might help him get the financial backing. He has worked with Josh Harris and David Blitzer, the cofounders of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), before.

However, that’s not the only trouble they are facing. With the players lacking confidence in their future at LIV Golf, they took to the course in Mexico City. And just as the tournament was picking up pace, they lost the broadcast. LIV Golf Mexico 2026 didn’t air for almost three hours because of technical issues.

Fans shared pictures of their screens, which read “LIV Golf Please Standby Technical Issues.” The disruption has caused a lot of unrest in the golf community as well. Especially after multiple outlets claimed PIF has yet to clear the dues of its employees, including the Q1 performance bonus of players. With its funding in jeopardy, its format under legal fire, and its broadcast failing, the Saudi-based league is facing an existential crisis on multiple fronts.