anotherdouble
Journeyman Pro
Good shout
LIV Golf
- Thread starter MarkT
- Start date
Bazz
Q-School Graduate
Cutting to zero holes.
D-S
Well-known member
You wonder if there isn't another angle as well to this.
Trump courses have hosted 7 LIV tournaments and although he probably claims PGA - LIV as another war he has ended (apparently he tried), he has been sort of in favour of LIV.
The current financial issues haven't been caused by the Saudis themselves so pulling funding for something that might have gained them favour previously is perhaps a more of symbol or a gesture?
Trump courses have hosted 7 LIV tournaments and although he probably claims PGA - LIV as another war he has ended (apparently he tried), he has been sort of in favour of LIV.
The current financial issues haven't been caused by the Saudis themselves so pulling funding for something that might have gained them favour previously is perhaps a more of symbol or a gesture?
irip
Head Pro
That’s certainly a possibility, maybe a change in that they will move to other courses rather than Trump courses as a show of defiance against him.
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
I think things changed. When LIV started, the PGAT were avoiding Trump courses which I suspect annoyed him.
Since the changes in PGAT, they came back
www.skysports.com
Since the changes in PGAT, they came back
PGA Tour confirm new Signature Event at Donald Trump-owned 'Blue Monster' course as part of 2026 FedExCup schedule
The 2026 regular season schedule features 35 official FedExCup events and includes the PGA Tours return to Trump National Doral as a new Signature Event; next years schedule marks the 20th edition of the FedExCup Playoffs
Klimski
Well-known member
I don't mind it ending of it does. I just hope all the employees and suppliers get paid.
4LEX
Well-known member
I posted a lot back in the day on this thread about it all and my view hasn't changed.
LIV Golf was a poor product and went about things in totally the wrong way. Norman was about the worst person they could've pick to front it as he had a lot of personal issues with the PGA Tour and he used his position to lash out. He created a lot of drama and by the time he was pushed aside, the damage had been done. The PIF knew nothing about golf and relied upon him far too much.
I've watched bits of it over the years and some of it was fun but the format and team element was it's downfall.
I know Mel Smooth will get some banter but I have to say if he was a lawyer and I was in trouble, I would want him backing me as he did a great job fighting his corner for LIV
LIV Golf was a poor product and went about things in totally the wrong way. Norman was about the worst person they could've pick to front it as he had a lot of personal issues with the PGA Tour and he used his position to lash out. He created a lot of drama and by the time he was pushed aside, the damage had been done. The PIF knew nothing about golf and relied upon him far too much.
I've watched bits of it over the years and some of it was fun but the format and team element was it's downfall.
I know Mel Smooth will get some banter but I have to say if he was a lawyer and I was in trouble, I would want him backing me as he did a great job fighting his corner for LIV
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
And someone needs to pay the bill
Mel Smooth
Hacker
Players have walked off the course I reckon Phil...
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
Yes, they are on the payroll, but an interesting exchange I thought...
"I've been in the professional game for 50 years now and I don't think I've ever had two or three days where there was more absolute nonsense spread out," Feherty said. "There are still some writers and broadcasters that take pride in their work, but this generation has spawned fast typists that consider themselves to be experts, and evidently, they're not."
White added, "It must be exhausting trying to will the LIV Golf league out of existence. Just take a day off, everybody. Enjoy the golf."
O'Neil's interview hinted at further moving away from US market, but there will be much focus on the 'restructuring & investment' parts I expect, which he touched on without real detail.
So expect the speculation to continue for a while, and next year does seem a bit unclear currently.
(Full text is on Flushing It & probably others)
"I've been in the professional game for 50 years now and I don't think I've ever had two or three days where there was more absolute nonsense spread out," Feherty said. "There are still some writers and broadcasters that take pride in their work, but this generation has spawned fast typists that consider themselves to be experts, and evidently, they're not."
White added, "It must be exhausting trying to will the LIV Golf league out of existence. Just take a day off, everybody. Enjoy the golf."
O'Neil's interview hinted at further moving away from US market, but there will be much focus on the 'restructuring & investment' parts I expect, which he touched on without real detail.
So expect the speculation to continue for a while, and next year does seem a bit unclear currently.
(Full text is on Flushing It & probably others)
Fore Right
Well-known member
Mel Smooth
Hacker
Can I be the first person to say it....
Well he would come out and say all those things wouldn't he...
Well he would come out and say all those things wouldn't he...
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Don’t think it’s a surprise that there is negativity and stuff on social media
LIV fans etc over the years have been more than comfortable spreading speculation
It was always going to be the case when LIV is the disrupter in the sport and its existence is based on money and when that money appears to be stopping then it’s not a shock that people will be all over it
In regards the CEO’s interview- it comes across as a huge sales pitch and it seems he knows that they need to find a lot of money to keep going
Once LIV stopped picking up the big hitters it was always going to be a struggle for them
He talked about National Opens which was a bit strange but maybe that’s what he is trying to get sorted - LIV link with them, but the only way they get the big players there is the big money and they need to find out where that big money comes from
If the funding does stop this year what happens to Rahms contract as that doesn’t end until end 2027 and that’s not a cheap one
Last edited:
Fore Right
Well-known member
Everything you would expect to hear but there was one really interesting quote in there
"We are looking to BLEND Liv with The National Opens around the world"
"We are looking to BLEND Liv with The National Opens around the world"
Depreston
Club Champion
Think it’s obvious they’ll be scrambling around to find backers and they won’t
WGCRider
Newbie
mmm with the unnamed sources it's almost like the sources are worried they'll have a visa appointment at an embassy some time in their future?
Mel Smooth
Hacker
The original known source is named in this thread.
The Squirrel
Well-known member
“Do we have to raise money? Probably.”
So Saudi is turning off the tap. This is as close as he could get to acknowledging it. It’s now CEO confirmed.
Looking at the financials there is no investment case; it’s a money pit with no path to a profit that it’s possible to envision; even the CEO (so no.1 cheerleader) admits it’s a 10 year path just to break even from here despite the billions burned already. Nobody invests in that. So it can’t continue as is.
Complaining about sources: The big broadsheets etc all approached LIV for comment. That’s your opportunity to kill unsourced rumours. They didn’t respond. You can come out and say all these unsourced rumours are nonsense rather than just complaining about them being unsourced at interview. He didn’t. Direct quote from The Times: “Nobody from LIV was prepared to rebut the claims or respond to requests for comment”. That’s your issue, right there.
Interview seemed to be a sales pitch. It would be good for PIF as a face saver to close it down in a way that looks like a merger or folding into something. An example: Sponsor the national opens on the DPWT, throw in a separate competition with some rewards based on performances in these competitions only (think like AON Next 10 on PGAT etc), call it the LIV cup and pretend LIV evolved rather than closed down? Is that the proposal?
So Saudi is turning off the tap. This is as close as he could get to acknowledging it. It’s now CEO confirmed.
Looking at the financials there is no investment case; it’s a money pit with no path to a profit that it’s possible to envision; even the CEO (so no.1 cheerleader) admits it’s a 10 year path just to break even from here despite the billions burned already. Nobody invests in that. So it can’t continue as is.
Complaining about sources: The big broadsheets etc all approached LIV for comment. That’s your opportunity to kill unsourced rumours. They didn’t respond. You can come out and say all these unsourced rumours are nonsense rather than just complaining about them being unsourced at interview. He didn’t. Direct quote from The Times: “Nobody from LIV was prepared to rebut the claims or respond to requests for comment”. That’s your issue, right there.
Interview seemed to be a sales pitch. It would be good for PIF as a face saver to close it down in a way that looks like a merger or folding into something. An example: Sponsor the national opens on the DPWT, throw in a separate competition with some rewards based on performances in these competitions only (think like AON Next 10 on PGAT etc), call it the LIV cup and pretend LIV evolved rather than closed down? Is that the proposal?
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Everything you would expect to hear but there was one really interesting quote in there
"We are looking to BLEND Liv with The National Opens around the world"
Interesting to know how they would look to do that when they are currently aligned to a number of different tours
wjemather
Well-known member
I'd guess he means collaborative scheduling so that LIV & the national opens are in successive weeks - clear benefits for both parties in doing that.Everything you would expect to hear but there was one really interesting quote in there
"We are looking to BLEND Liv with The National Opens around the world"
