Rory McIlroy has revealed he possessed advance knowledge of the impending financial difficulties facing LIV Golf, weeks before Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) confirmed its intention to stop funding the breakaway league, according to The Guardian. News of the PIF’s withdrawal emerged publicly in the immediate aftermath of McIlroy’s successful defence at Augusta National last month, although rumours had reportedly been circulating within golf long beforehand.
McIlroy’s early warnings
The Northern Irishman said he had been hearing “rumblings” about the PIF potentially stepping away from LIV Golf as early as March and April.
“It was always a possibility,” McIlroy said, via The Guardian. “I feel like a lot of us, including me, we almost knew before the [LIV] players did that this was going to happen. I was hearing about this back in March, April time.”
McIlroy also recounted conversations with friends, including Ricky McCormick — caddie for Tom McKibbin — who appeared unaware of the growing uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf’s future.
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“I was saying to Ricky: ‘Have you guys heard any of this stuff?’ He was like: ‘No, everything seems OK over here,’” McIlroy explained.
The comments suggest there was a considerable disconnect between the information available within the wider golf world and what many LIV Golf players themselves had been told internally.
McIlroy described the eventual announcement as a major shock for those involved with the Saudi-backed circuit.
“It feels like the rug was pulled from under their feet and everyone was sort of blindsided by it,” he added. “That’s the risk that those guys chose to take. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the air right now.”
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Geopolitical shifts impact LIV’s future
According to The Guardian, the PIF has invested more than $5 billion (£3.7 billion) into LIV Golf since the league’s launch. However, the Saudi fund is now expected to officially cease its financial backing at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
McIlroy suggested the decision was heavily influenced by the changing geopolitical situation in the Middle East, including the ongoing Iran conflict and wider regional tensions.
“Everyone knows, with everything that’s happening in the Middle East, that had a lot to do [with it],” McIlroy said. “But whenever you have funding tied so much to the geopolitical landscape in the world, that’s a tricky road to navigate.”
“Their priorities shifted, and that leaves LIV in a pretty precarious spot.”
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The development highlights the risks attached to sporting projects that depend heavily on external state-backed funding, particularly when global political events can rapidly alter financial priorities.
For LIV Golf, attention will now turn towards whether the league can establish a sustainable long-term business model without the enormous financial support previously provided by the PIF.
Notably, McIlroy himself has softened his stance on Saudi investment in golf. Having previously supported the idea of the PGA Tour accepting Saudi backing, the four-time major champion now admits recent events have changed his perspective.
“I’m glad I was wrong,” McIlroy said, according to The Guardian.
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Sources: www.theguardian.com
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