What began as Fried Egg Golf’s Kevin Van Valkenburg speculating about Jon Rahm’s potential exit from LIV Golf quickly turned into a debate about how the Saudi‑backed league treated the media. That debate escalated when SiriusXM host John Maginnes argued LIV had wasted nearly $6 billion, prompting LIV star Lee Westwood to reply with a pointed three‑word question.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Reacting to Valkenburg’s post on X, a user praised LIV Golf’s “Any Shot Live” feature as the best viewing product in history and claimed the media unfairly sided with the PGA Tour for access and financial perks. However, Maginnes countered by arguing that LIV ignored the media despite Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund burning $5–6 billion over a billion a year, suggesting those funds should have instead been spent on building media relationships by treating journalists like kings.
“Six billion dollars… They burned more than a billion a year… Send a plane, put them up at the Ritz, treat them like kings,” he wrote, suggesting the money should have gone into building media relationships.
Westwood, one of LIV’s earliest high‑profile defectors and co‑captain of Majesticks GC, responded directly to Maginnes’ claim with a three‑word question: “Is that right @jcorrigangolf?”
His reply was less a clapback than a challenge, questioning whether Maginnes’ take was accurate. Westwood has long defended LIV, previously calling the PGA Tour’s 2022 changes a “copy” of LIV’s innovations.
Journalist Pushes Back Against Maginnes’ Comment
Golf writer Bob Harig pushed back against Maginnes’ assertion that “the media is cheap and easily bought.” Harig argued that reputable journalists do not accept payment for coverage, noting that reporters generally cover tournaments at their own expense. LIV, like other leagues, provided discounted media hotels, but Harig stressed that paying for favorable coverage outright was not acceptable.
“The media is not easily bought. No self‑respecting independent journalist is doing that. The PGA Tour doesn’t do that,” Harig wrote, while suggesting that those who compromise their integrity don’t help LIV.
Maginnes later clarified he wasn’t referring to journalists like Harig, but maintained his stance that LIV mishandled its media strategy.
Reports suggest PIF invested between $5–6 billion in LIV before pulling out in 2026. That money funded player contracts, event purses, operations, marketing, and league infrastructure. With PIF gone, LIV scrambled to secure new investors, canceling one event and facing rumors of its team championship being cut.
Whether LIV’s collapse was due to poor media strategy or unsustainable spending remains contested. Westwood’s brief question highlights how even within golf’s inner circle, the debate over LIV’s downfall is far from settled.