The clock is officially ticking on LIV Golf. According to a bombshell report from The Wall Street Journal, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will pull the plug on its financial backing of the rebel circuit after the 2026 season. The move all but confirms that LIV's days as a professional golf entity are numbered.
Just a couple of weeks ago, rumors swirled that the PIF was ready to cut ties, but LIV CEO Scott O'Neil assured fans that the 2026 season would go ahead as scheduled. Now, it's clear that 2026 will be the tour's swan song. The Wall Street Journal's Andrew Beaton described the development as sounding "the death knell for the upstart that sowed chaos in professional golf by plowing billions into the sport and poaching A-list players."
With the PIF's exit, LIV Golf must scramble to find alternative funding or face an abrupt shutdown. The tour is expected to inform players and staff by Thursday that the Saudi sovereign wealth fund will no longer bankroll operations beyond this season.
What Happens to LIV's Biggest Stars?
The big question now is whether any of LIV's marquee names will return to the PGA Tour. According to sports media personality Trey Wingo, the PGA Tour is likely to welcome back only a select few. "I don't think the PGA Tour cares about 54 or 52 of the 56 LIV golfers or how many there are. They care about two for sure, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau," Wingo told Awful Announcing. "I think those are the two that they'll find a way back, like they did for (Brooks Koepka), because he's a five-time major winner."
Koepka's return to the PGA Tour after his LIV stint set a precedent, and Rahm and DeChambeau could follow a similar path. However, for the rest of the LIV roster, the road back won't be easy. Wingo added, "The rest of them, I think they might say, 'Congratulations, Taylor Gooch, I'm glad you got your money. You won't see us again unless you go through the hardest way possible to earn your tour card like everybody else.'"
Phil Mickelson: A Bridge Too Far
One name that almost certainly won't be making a comeback is Phil Mickelson. Wingo was blunt about the situation: "I can promise you one person that you'll never see in any way in an official capacity with the PGA Tour is Phil Mickelson. That bridge has been burned, detonated, destroyed, nuked, lasered to death. There is no building that bridge back."
Mickelson's controversial role in the formation of LIV Golf and his public criticisms of the PGA Tour have left deep scars that appear irreparable.
As the golf world digests this news, attention turns to the future of the sport. The PIF's decision to end LIV funding could accelerate merger talks between the PGA Tour and the Saudi fund, potentially reshaping professional golf once again. In the meantime, fans can only watch as the rebel tour plays out its final act.
In other sports news, the Mike McCarthy reportedly wants Steelers to ditch Aaron Rodgers, while the Jets' No. 2 draft pick reportedly leaked ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, meet Kaia Henderson, the hoops star supporting NFL prospect Sonny Styles.
