Scott O’Neil has never been the one to stay quiet. Since taking over as CEO of LIV Golf, he has made it his mission to reframe every piece of bad news as a reason to believe in LIV harder. This week in Mexico City, with the loudest round of criticism yet around the league, he did it again.

Speaking on the sidelines of LIV Golf Mexico City at Club de Golf Chapultepec, O’Neil was asked about the criticism surrounding the league. And he turned the question of negativity back onto the critics.

“I would ask anyone, any critics, to tell me, isn’t this good for golf? If we are growing the game and we have families, 20% of our fans are families around the world, isn’t that positive? I read the thousand or so posts and articles, and I was just looking for one named source.”

“And for all those kids out there that come to our events and look up at these guys, I can see it in their eyes. It’s like they’ve fallen in love with this game. And so I would say if you have not been to an event, come to an event. And if you don’t have anything nice to say, maybe run up about something else,” O’Neil said.

This interview follows reports from financial experts that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has invested over $5 billion in LIV since its launch in 2022, is considering withdrawing its financial support. Additionally, there are claims that some players have not received their first-quarter guarantees, several vendors have gone unpaid, and contracts for prominent players like Bryson DeChambeau remain shrouded in uncertainty.

Yet, in stark contrast, O’Neil asserted, “LIV is in the most wonderful shape in its history so far.”

To support that claim, O’Neil pointed to what he described as key indicators of growth. He highlighted half a billion dollars in sponsorship, naming partners such as HSBC, Rolex, and Salesforce, and expressed his gratitude for their wonderful support. Additionally, he discussed visits to markets like Australia, South Africa, the UK, Korea, and Mexico City as evidence of golf’s global growth.

One of the more striking claims was that 5.5 million people watched LIV in Australia. However, that figure has not been independently verified by a recognized broadcast measurement organisation. What is independently confirmed is that LIV Golf Adelaide 2026 attracted over 1150,000 patrons over four days, setting a record for both LIV and professional golf in Australia.

However, attendance and viewership are two very different metrics. On the broadcast side, the 2026 opener in Riyadh attracted approximately 23,000 viewers in the U.S. over four days, and LIV has never surpassed 500,000 U.S. viewers in a single broadcast window.

Further, O’Neil claimed a 200% increase in girls playing golf in Australia, presenting it as a direct result of LIV’s presence in the market. And Australian golf participation has indeed hit a record high. The sport has surpassed 4 million adult players in 2024-2025, its highest total ever recorded, with overall growth of 5.2% in a single year.

But that surge reflects a nationwide trend driven by new formats, driving ranges, and entertainment venues, which is a broader shift in how Australians engage with the game. No independent source attributes that growth specifically to LIV Golf. So, the reaction to his point was swift. One viewer wrote, “OK, he can’t take credit for the growth of golf in Australia, that’s insane.”

Another viewer said, “The gaslighting that you’re basically not allowed to dislike LIV Golf is what I hate most about LIV Golf. Meanwhile, the LIV supporters are constantly attacking the PGA, portraying it as the evil empire.”

However, O’Neil described the broader consensus differently, saying that all “elite of the elite executives in golf” told him the same thing:  “Keep doing what you’re doing. This matters for golf.”

This isn’t the first time O’Neil has attempted to defend LIV’s reputation. In light of the recent controversies, he asserted that there is not a single verified source of criticism against him. However, one might agree to disagree.

Credible Criticism is Not Hard to Find

Unlike what O’Neil says, LIV has been criticized by one of the most credible voices. Golf Channel analyst and former PGA Tour professional Brandel Chamblee was among the most direct ones. On April 15th, while responding to the shutdown reports, Chamblee posted on X, calling the league ill-conceived and questioning whether it has ever delivered on its promise. He pointed to low viewership, the initial 54-hole format, and mounting financial losses.

He even went on to say that “would it surprise anyone if the Saudis came to their corrupted senses and finally euthanized the whole lame-brained tour.” And earlier in 2026, he had described LIV as “an ephemeral, flamboyant, make-believe tour that can neither further make the professional game nor the careers of the player who sacrificed their principles for profit.”

The numbers Chamblee pointed to were not mere opinions. According to UK business filings, LIV’s international events operation lost over $46 million in 2024 alone and more than $1 billion across four years. O’Neil himself told the Financial Times earlier in 2026 that he did not see the league turning a profit within the next five to 10 years. The burn rate sits at roughly $100 million per month. Meanwhile, the league spends approximately $8.50 for every dollar it brings in.

None of this erases what LIV has built in certain markets. The Adelaide attendance record is real. The global broadcast footprint is true. But the gap between what O’Neil is claiming and what the numbers show is wide enough that asking critics to simply look away is not a rebuttal.