LIV Golf folds, but its legacy reshapes professional golf

After the Public Investment Fund pulled its support earlier this year, the LIV Golf series collapsed, having invested an estimated $6 billion since its 2023 launch. While many dismissed the league as a Saudi sports-washing scheme, the piece highlights that the PGA Tour also benefits from sponsors with ties to Saudi Arabia and other rights-questionable regimes. LIV’s most notable contributions include dramatically larger purses for top players, a weekly competition schedule, a 54-hole format with shotgun starts, and a team-based, party-like atmosphere that contrasted with the PGA’s traditional model.

High-profile golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Young, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm defected to LIV, raising the profile of the new circuit. Although the league will not return, its pressure has forced the PGA Tour to adapt, offering larger payouts and more player input in tournament design. The article concludes that, despite its demise, LIV Golf has made professional golf more exciting and financially rewarding.