LIV Golf postpones event in New Orleans as doubts swirl over future

LIV Golf launched in 2021 and sent shockwaves through the sport (Steven Paston/PA) (PA)

LIV Golf have postponed their inaugural event in New Orleans that was scheduled to take place in June amid uncertainty around the Tour after reports that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) will be withdrawing their funding of the breakaway league.

The news comes less than two weeks after LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said the season will continue “exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.”

However, Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bourgeois spoke with O’Neil spoke on Friday, and according to The Athletic and agreed to postpone the June 25 event to later in the Autumn.

The postponement was announced on Tuesday with a confirmation for a “re-envisioned event in the fall.”

However, LIV Golf does not currently have a schedule after its team championship in August and did not respond to The Athletic’s request for comment.

The news also means that LIV Golf will not have any tournaments in the United States for a three-month period following the northern Virginia leg on May 7-10 at Trump National until the August 6-9 tournament at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey.

Reportedly, LIV Golf wanted to move the New Orleans tournament to avoid peak summer temperatures, ensure the course is in championship shape and to avoid attendance and viewership conflicts with the World Cup.

Louisiana officials have previously announced that they had agreed to pay LIV Golf $5m and spend an additional $2.2m on improvements to the Bayou Oaks course in City Park to accommodate the event.

As of last week, only north of $3m had been spent, including the $2m on course improvements.

A joint statement from Louisiana State Governor Jeff Landry and Bourgeois confirmed the postponement. It read: “We appreciate LIV’s good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year.”