'Saudi Support Withdrawal' Financial Crisis, Prize Money Halved... LIV Golf in Crisis

*This content was translated by AI.

After the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) halted its financial support, LIV Golf appears to be facing severe financial difficulties. Facing a crossroads for survival, LIV Golf has not only canceled its final tournament but also drastically reduced prize money.

The U.S. golf specialty media outlet 'Golf.com' reported on the 19th (Korean time) that "LIV Golf significantly cut the prize payout for this week's Indianapolis finale just one day after canceling the Michigan Team Championship."

With the Michigan tournament canceled, both individual and team championship titles will be decided at the Indianapolis event, but the prize money awarded to players has been sharply reduced compared to previous years.

According to reports, the individual bonus pool was cut from $30 million (approximately 42 billion won) before the season opener to $10 million (approximately 14 billion won), a reduction of $20 million (about 28 billion won). Consequently, the individual champion's prize dropped from $18 million to $6 million (approximately 8 billion won), slashed to one-third of its original amount. The second-place prize fell from $8 million to $3 million, and the third-place prize plummeted from $4 million to $1 million.

The team championship bonus also could not avoid further cuts. The total team bonus, which was $50 million in 2025, had already been reduced to $40 million before the season, and this time it was cut again by an additional $10 million to $30 million (approximately 40 billion won). The winning team's bonus decreased from $11.2 million to $8.4 million, and the additional bonus of $1.4 million per player previously awarded to last year's winning team members has been completely abolished.

The total prize pool for the Indianapolis tournament itself was also reduced to around $10.1 million. Unlike last year, when Sebastian Munoz won $4 million (approximately 53 billion won) and Jon Rahm took second place with $2.25 million, this year's winner will receive $2.02 million (approximately 27 billion won), and the second-place prize has been halved to $1.136 million.

This reduction in prize money appears to be a result of the financial crisis triggered when Saudi Arabia's PIF completely withdrew all funding support last April. Amidst the chaos of consecutive cancellations of the New Orleans tournament and the Michigan Team Championship, LIV Golf is fighting for its survival by seeking new investors and retaining star players.

According to U.S. 'Golf Channel', Scott O'Neill, CEO of LIV Golf, and players held a private meeting with potential investors at the Indian Chatham Hills Clubhouse in Indiana. Ted Goldsoff, co-founder of BC Partners, is being mentioned as a key investor.

However, anxiety within the player ranks and signs of defection remain unchanged. Brendan Steele stated, "The investor's vision is excellent. I will stay here," while top draw Bryson DeChambeau has also expressed support for staying and restructuring.

On the other hand, the positions of key stars are becoming unstable. Jon Rahm, who won the individual championship for three consecutive years, is widely expected to leave LIV Golf at the end of this season. Martin Kaymer avoided giving a direct answer regarding his participation in next season's tournament, saying, "I cannot say anything now," while Sergio Garcia also showed an indifferent attitude toward questions about his future, responding with, "Let's wait and see."

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*This content was translated by AI.