LIV Golf is financed by the
Public Investment Fund, the
sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. Some journalists and commentators have said the tour is part of efforts by the
Saudi monarchy, which has been criticized for its
corruption and
human rights abuses, to improve its public image through sports. Human rights groups have criticized LIV Golf as
sportswashing, a political strategy by Saudi Arabia to cleanse its
repressive global image through sport.
Human Rights Watch called the Saudi endeavour "an effort to distract from its serious human rights abuses by taking over events that celebrate human achievement". Greg Norman has been accused of aiding the repressive Saudi government for his own financial gain. In 2021, Norman denied that he was being used for sportswashing and said he works for LIV because of his passion for the sport. Later, in May 2022, Norman defended the involvement of Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman with
Jamal Khashoggi's
murder, saying, "Look, we've all made mistakes, and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward." His statement drew extensive criticism. Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, said it was hurtful that "Jamal's brutal killing is brushed off as a 'mistake' and that we should just move on". On 22 June 2022, a group of nearly 2,500 survivors of family members killed or injured during the
September 11 attacks wrote an open letter to golfers who have remained loyal to the PGA Tour thanking them for not defecting to LIV Golf. The letter read in part, "Thank you for standing up for decency. Thank you for standing up for the 9/11 Families. Thank you for resisting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's efforts to cleanse its reputation by buying off professional athletes...To those of you who have chosen what is right over blood money from a corrupt, destructive sports entity and its Saudi backers, please continue to stand strong." On 17 July 2022, a group of September 11 victims' family members condemned former U.S. president
Donald Trump for hosting the LIV Golf tour at his
Trump National Golf Club in
Bedminster, New Jersey; the group's letter to Trump noted that he himself had blamed Saudi Arabia for the 9/11 attack during a 2016 interview on
Fox News.
Tiger Woods, who turned down an offer of $700 million to $800 million to join LIV Golf, was asked in July 2022 about the golfers who had joined. "I disagree with it. I think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position," Woods said at a press conference before the
2022 Open Championship. "I know what the PGA Tour stands for and what we have done and what the tour has given us, the ability to chase after our careers and to earn what we get and the trophies we have been able to play for and the history that has been a part of this game."
PGA Tour The
PGA Tour announced that its members who participate in LIV Golf events could be sanctioned for playing in a conflicting event without the Tour's permission, which could result in fines, suspensions, or bans. On 9 June 2022, the PGA Tour announced that its members participating in the first LIV Golf tournament (including current members as well as those who had recently resigned) were no longer eligible to compete in tour events or the
Presidents Cup. By contrast, the constitution of the
European Tour does not provide for banning players who enter conflicting events. On 11 July 2022,
The Wall Street Journal reported that the
United States Department of Justice was investigating the PGA Tour to determine if they have engaged in anti-competitive behavior with LIV Golf. In August 2022, LIV Golf and several players brought an
antitrust civil suit against the PGA Tour, which
countersued that LIV Golf was encouraging PGA players to break their existing contracts. Jury selection for the upcoming trial was scheduled to take place in January 2024. In September 2022,
Sports Illustrated reported that the PGA Tour had sent letters to
Japan Golf Tour members notifying them that the PGA Tour would exclude LIV Golf players from their co-sanctioned events, such as the
Zozo Championship, even if they were not members of the PGA Tour.
Sports Illustrated speculated that the letters were the reason that all four Japanese players who had played in earlier events had withdrawn from the series prior to the fourth event in Boston, reporting that the letters had been sent to PGA Tour members who had joined LIV Golf but not resigned their membership of the PGA Tour advising them that their membership would "not be renewed for the
2022–23 season".
European Tour In June 2022, the PGA and European tours announced a strengthening of their "strategic alliance", with the PGA Tour increasing their stake in European Tour Productions to 40% and further changes being made to the European Tour, including increased prize funds and leading players in the DP World Tour Rankings gaining PGA Tour cards for the following season. The European Tour did not take any disciplinary action until the end of June, when it was announced that LIV Golf participants would be fined and suspended from the European Tour's three PGA Tour co-sanctioned events. Several players, including
Ian Poulter, took legal action and the suspensions were put on hold, allowing them to play in the
Genesis Scottish Open and subsequent tour events pending a full hearing, which was scheduled by Sport Resolutions UK for February 2023. On 20 June 2022, the tour removed
Henrik Stenson as captain of the European
Ryder Cup team as a result of his decision to join LIV Golf.
Proposed merger of commercial rights of LIV, PGA and European Tours On 6 June 2023, LIV Golf, the PGA Tour, and PGA European Tour announced that the three organizations would pool their commercial rights into a new for-profit venture, which would be funded by the Public Investment Fund. The announcement stated that the merger is intended to "unify the game of golf on a global basis" and "ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game's best players." Current PGA Tour commissioner
Jay Monahan will serve as CEO of the new entity, with
Yasir Al-Rumayyan as chairman, and the PGA Tour appointing the majority of its board. All three tours will maintain administrative oversight and sanctioning of their events. This agreement ends all existing litigation, and there are plans for a "fair and objective process for any players who desire to re-apply for membership". The agreement was controversial among some PGA Tour players. The deadline for completing the deal was December 31, 2023, although it was reported that the parties were attempting to negotiate an extension. On January 31, 2024, the PGA Tour announced an investment into its for-profit arm—PGA Tour Enterprises—by a
Fenway Sports Group-backed consortium of U.S. professional sports owners. Strategic Sports Group would pay $1.5 billion initially, and then a second $1.5 billion following the conclusion of negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. In addition, active players would be given an opportunity to receive grants of equity in PGA Tour Enterprises. LIV Golf Adelaide is locked in until at least 2031 with a move to a
Greg Norman designed championship course specifically designed for LIV Golf on the historic
North Adelaide Golf Course confirmed and paid for by the South Australian Government.
Trademark issues In March 2023, David Grutman's Miami nightclub
LIV—a
nightclub that is among the highest grossing in the United States—filed a Notice of Opposition seeking to block a U.S.
trademark registration by LIV Golf, citing that its marks "are visually, phonetically, and aurally similar and the goods/services share similarities", and that it would "
dilute the distinctive quality" of its brand. LIV in Miami opened in 2008, with its name referring to its location—the
Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel—having originally opened in 1954.
Public Investment Fund withdrawal In April 2026, the
Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund announced that it is reevaluating its priorities. This is against mounting pressures and financial commitments to host
World Expo 2030 and the
2034 FIFA World Cup. ==LIV Golf seasons==