PGA Tour make final decision on re-admitting LIV players as Saudi PIF 'cut funding'

LIV Golf is set to announce to its players and staff that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the primary financial backer, will pull its funding at the end of the 2026 season.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that this announcement will come on Thursday, bringing an end to the speculation about the future involvement of the Saudis. When around a month ago the PIF laid out its vision for the next five years, it made no mention of the league, as it appeared the nation would be taking a step back from all their sport investment.

Now, this appears to be true, and it could spell the end of LIV Golf, as they will now have to seek outside investors to keep it afloat; however, this investment is unlikely to resemble anything like we saw under the PIF.

Players that jumped ship from the PGA Tour to join LIV for the lucrative winnings from the competitions organised may need to consider their futures and where they lie after this news.

Figures like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm may now be considering a move back to the PGA Tour following this news; however, this may not be as simple as simply carrying on from where they left off.

Bryson DeChambeau is perhaps the biggest name in LIV Golf. (Image: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

They just need to look at the example that has been made of Brooks Koepka as he rejoined the PGA Tour from LIV earlier this year.

The five-time major champion went through a one-time returning member programme that could cost him up to $90 million in charitable donations and forfeitures of bonuses and equity.

While this appears to be a sizeable punishment for Koepka, he accepted it to return to the PGA Tour, something that other major players may be weighing up.

However, this was only offered during a brief window earlier this year, and it is unlikely something similar will be put on the table again for high-profile players.

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp stated on Wednesday: "There were rules, and they were broken. With rules comes accountability."

There is a belief that each returning player will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and there is no guarantee that those that opted to leave the PGA Tour for LIV will be granted a return, particularly those with less illustrious track records, as evidenced by the Tour limiting the return of golfers to those who had been recent major champions.

SPORTbible have contacted LIV Golf for further comment.