In four years, LIV Golf has spent many billions of dollars to reshape professional golf, offering guaranteed contracts and attracting major champions. The league was designed to challenge established institutions. Now, with PIF set to withdraw funding after 2026, LIV faces a critical test. The league spends around $600 million annually but lacks strong TV ratings to secure new investment. Players are now weighing their options, and the future of the league is uncertain.

“There’s nothing more we know. I’m just happy where I am, and hopefully we can find a solution,” said David Puig at the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya. “I love Scott. He’s a great guy. He’s pretty straightforward. All together, we’re going to try and find a solution, and hopefully that pays off. I don’t really know what he deals with every day. I’m sure he’s got a lot of pressure on his shoulders.”

According to Puig, the responsibility for finding a solution now rests with CEO Scott O’Neil. LIV has shifted to a multi-partner investment model, placing control with an independent board led by Gene Davis and Jon Zinman. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor and league co-founder, left the board in the same week. LIV did not address his departure in its official statement.

The data shows that replacing PIF is primarily a structural issue, not just a matter of securing new funding. Each event involves significant overhead, from player guarantees to staging costs, which commercial investors will examine closely.

Puig is in a stronger position than most. He is one of eight LIV players, including McKibbin and Smylie, who agreed to a conditional DP World Tour release in February. They settled their fines and committed to playing more tour events, which allowed them to play on both circuits without facing penalties. This deal, first reported as part of the DP World Tour’s response to the LIV situation, now looks less like a special case and more like a possible model for how other players could return.

“I just try to enjoy the present. It gives me both opportunities.”

Professional golf has seen attempts at disruption before, but never with stakes this high. The World Golf Tour in 1994 and the Premier Golf League in 2020 both entered with plans and funding, yet neither managed to hold a significant event. LIV took over the PGL’s model when PIF provided direct funding. The format continued, but the organizations behind it kept changing. Now, LIV faces a new challenge: billions have been spent, but the expected audience has not materialized.

LIV Golf’s uncertain future and what comes next for its players

The DP World Tour is still the main option for players looking for a place to play, but entry is not automatic. Many have already lost their status. The fallout from the PIF withdrawal has been clear for some time, and the consequences are now being felt across the league. Guy Kinnings has chosen his words carefully.

“We’re reading the headlines and observing. Those kinds of headlines that we’ve seen in the last few weeks have got to be concerning for them.”

The key questions remain unanswered. Will O’Neil secure new investors? Can the league survive this period of uncertainty? Will Puig’s trust in leadership pay off? None of these issues will be settled in Antalya.

“Hopefully, we find a solution. It’s not up to me at all what happens.”