LIV Golf postpones New Orleans tournament amid Saudi funding uncertainty
LIV Golf has postponed its scheduled June tournament in New Orleans as the breakaway circuit attempts to secure new funding following the withdrawal of financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The event was originally slated to take place between 25-28 June at Bayou Oaks at City Park in Louisiana.
A formal announcement regarding the schedule change is expected to be released on Tuesday.
Officials from the Saudi-backed league have been collaborating with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s office to explore potential new dates in the autumn.
Search for new investment
The necessity for rescheduling comes amid significant uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of the 54-hole competition.
Reports indicate that the primary financial backer, the PIF, has ended its commitment to fund the series beyond the current campaign.
Since its controversial inception in 2022, the sovereign wealth fund has injected more than $5bn into the enterprise.
Much of that vast expenditure has been allocated to lucrative player contracts and escalating tournament prize pots.
Logistical challenges and costs
Beyond financial restructuring, organisers cited a desire to avoid peak summer heat and scheduling conflicts with the World Cup as secondary reasons for the delay.
The state of Louisiana had already invested $2m into course improvements to prepare the venue for championship-calibre play.
Following the postponement, the golf organisation has agreed to return a $1.2m portion of the public funds it had already received.
Chief executive remains defiant
Despite the withdrawal of guaranteed Saudi backing, chief executive Scott O’Neil recently reassured staff that the 2026 season would proceed exactly as planned.
Speaking during a recent broadcast in Mexico City, the former sports executive acknowledged the upcoming commercial hurdles.
“The reality is you’re funded through the season and then you work like crazy as a business to create a business and a business plan to keep us going.”
The circuit has seven remaining events on its current calendar, with the next fixture scheduled for May in Virginia.
