LIV Golf has begun laying off employees as the Saudi-backed league downsizes its operations following the end of financial support from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), with the organisation preparing for a potential restructuring ahead of the 2027 season.
The league told employees that their employment under its current structure, referred to as “LIV 1.0”, will end in the first week of September. LIV Golf has not disclosed how many employees or what proportion of its workforce will be affected.
The staff reductions come after LIV learned in April that PIF would end its financial backing following the conclusion of the 2026 season. The league also filed a notice under the US Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act in July, signalling that layoffs were expected.
In a statement, LIV Golf said it was scaling back operations while working towards a new phase of the league, dubbed “LIV 2.0”.
“The funding commitment announced by PIF earlier this year will reach its conclusion,” the league said. It added that it remained committed to supporting employees affected by the transition.
Some workers could potentially be rehired depending on the outcome of LIV’s efforts to secure new investment and the structure of the reworked league.
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said earlier this month that he had reached an agreement in principle with a lead investor. Multiple reports have identified private equity firm BC Partners as the prospective investor, with the deal expected to be finalised in September.
The restructuring follows LIV’s shortest season since its launch in 2022. The league lost events in New Orleans and Michigan, with the team championship ultimately folded into its Indiana event.
O’Neil has proposed a 10-event schedule for 2027, split between five tournaments in the US and five overseas events. The league’s future will also depend on its ability to provide players with opportunities to compete across different tours.
The changes have raised questions over the futures of high-profile players including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.
Rahm remains under contract with LIV, while DeChambeau began negotiations over a renewal earlier this year.
LIV is also facing financial and legal challenges. O’Neil has not ruled out bankruptcy as part of the restructuring, while the league is facing two lawsuits related to unpaid vendors.
Despite the uncertainty, Tyrrell Hatton, who joined LIV in 2024 as part of Rahm’s team, said he expects the league to continue into 2027.
Hatton is currently competing on the European tour and said he expects to continue doing so while remaining under contract with LIV.
The PGA Tour continues to restrict LIV players from competing on its circuit for at least one year after their most recent LIV appearance, although exceptions have been made.
O’Neil said the next phase of LIV Golf would require a significantly more disciplined approach to spending.
“The first stage of LIV required big investments,” he said. “This next chapter requires something quite different, commercial discipline.”
The league has therefore begun reassessing its costs as it seeks to establish a more commercially sustainable model following the end of its Saudi funding.