Professional men’s golf tour backed by Saudi-backed investment
LIV Golf faces financial uncertainty as Saudi PIF funding is reported to be winding down after this season. Executives warn remaining 2026 events could be in flux, with Bedminster deemed most likely to proceed. The tour is actively seeking new investors while exploring ways to sustain its team-based format.
The Farms Golf Club has revoked Phil Mickelson’s membership after an employee reported nonconsensual and inappropriate contact. The club conducted an independent investigation and says the action is decisive. Mickelson has not commented beyond a statement that any misunderstanding has been cleared up as he attends to a private family health matter.
The PGA Tour has unveiled a two-track, merit-based system with a Championship Series and a Challenger Series. The plan, announced ahead of the Travelers Championship, introduces promotion and relegation, a match-play format for the Tour Championship, and multi-million dollar purses across both tracks. Official rollout is set for the 2028 season.
Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament after a stress fracture was confirmed, ending her bid to compete this year. Several British players are in action, including Katie Boulter, Fran Jones, Harriet Dart, Alicia Dudeney, Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic, with wildcards and rising stars featured in the draw.
World Cup activities are intersecting with Wimbledon’s schedule as fans and players navigate overlapping knockout rounds; Wimbledon has reaffirmed it will not broadcast World Cup matches on site, while players face scheduling pressures and personal choices about balancing sport and football viewing.
The Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club has a star-studded field, including Rahm and six other LIV players, as DP World Tour and PGA Tour co-sanctioning shapes a reshape of the Rolex Series. The event is amid talks on a new two-tier PGA Tour schedule, with promises of exemptions and鈥? changes that could redefine national Opens.
Bryson DeChambeau has incurred a two-shot penalty for inadvertently improving the area of his intended backswing on the fifth hole at Royal Birkdale. Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns share the Open lead after a record-tying second round of 62, while DeChambeau remains five under and potentially out of contention.
Michael Kim has shot a 59 in Minnesota, the 16th such round on the PGA Tour, after a four-birdie finish. He leads by three at the 3M Open. Other updates from Royal Birkdale include Cameron Young leading at nine under and Rory McIlroy struggling to find momentum.
Sam Burns has surged to a 10-under par lead after a blistering 65 in the Open’s 54-hole round, capitalizing on a chaotic week marked by Bryson DeChambeau’s controversial penalty and a record-tying scoring day at Royal Birkdale. Burns, who had planned to skip the Open because of his wife’s due date, credits his family’s support for giving him the focus to chase his first major.
Ryan Fox has won The Open at Royal Birkdale, finishing one stroke ahead of Cameron Young after an 11-foot birdie on the final hole. The 39-year-old New Zealander has become only the third Kiwi to win a major, delivering a decisive, low-stress finish and confirming his rise in the majors.
Koivun has claimed the 3M Open with a record 25-under 259, finishing three strokes ahead of Scheffler. The 21-year-old, in his third pro start, preserved a bogey-free round to close out a dominant week at TPC Twin Cities, while Scheffler finishes as runner-up after a late surge.
Ryan Fox has won the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, finishing ten under. The win makes him New Zealand’s fourth major champion and follows a week marked by fast play and dramatic momentum. He defeated Cameron Young with a final-round surge, while the event featured record attendance and praise for Fox’s pace.
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Asian Tour have formalised a multi-year alliance through 2029, with some events co-sanctioned again and pathways for Asian players to reach European and Challenge Tour events. The move follows LIV’s weakened position after Saudi funding shifts, and prompts reactions from players such as Rory McIlroy.
LIV Golf is confronting a funding shortfall after the Saudi Public Investment Fund withdraws backing at year-end. The league is seeking about $260 million, with Indianapolis likely to host upcoming events and Michigan deemed unlikely. Investors’ decisions will shape LIV’s 2027 viability.
Hulls and Woad post solid rounds in challenging conditions on the Lancashire coast to stay within reach of Ryu Hae Ran, who is closing in on a third straight major title. Other leaders include Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda and Shiho Kuwaki.
Canadian 17-year-old Anna Huang has won the Centurion Club event, while Charley Hull finishes runner-up after a late collapse. Hull’s surge and Huang’s finish mark a dramatic conclusion to the tournament at Centurion Club, with Lydia Hall in the mix.
Glover has removed his shoes after a birdie putt, citing a rules official’s complaint about spike marks on soft bent greens at TPC Twin Cities. He reiterates that tamping down spike marks is allowed and that his metal spikes will stay on.
Industry leaders warn that AI infrastructure investments have sparked a ferocious race among hyperscalers. Earnings calls show wide investor scepticism about when returns will materialise, even as compute demand remains strong.
Infortar Estonian Challenge winner Martin Franssen has claimed a 19-under total to win the DP World Tour’s HotelPlanner Tour event in Tallinn, edging England’s Andrew Wilson by three shots. Franssen, an Inverness-born, St Andrews-based player, secures his first Scottish title on the circuit, after a season of steady progress and a breakthrough victory the previous year.
SpaceX has reported quarterly results with strong revenue but ongoing losses, highlighting a heavy $18bn capex focus on AI infrastructure. Investors are watching for returns as Starlink remains the profit engine while the AI division remains loss-making and the public market faces a volatile response as lock-up expirations loom.
LIV Golf has signed an agreement with a lead investor approved by its board to fund the league beyond 2026, pledging to make players majority equity holders and to reduce to a 10-event calendar from 2027. CEO Scott O’Neil has said the transaction aims to close in September and that multiple parties have shown interest as minority investors.
NORAD has escorted two aircraft out of restricted airspace following violations near Trump’s Bedminster weekend trip, with one other craft becoming compliant after alert. The disruption delays travel and heightens security concerns as authorities review NOTAMs and flight procedures.
The president has announced a trip to Ireland for Sept. 12-13, where he will attend events with embassy staff and officials, and visit Trump-owned golf properties. AP, New York Post and Independent note the trip underscores how official travel can intersect with family business interests, including LIV Golf ties and potential political signaling.
The PGA Tour has announced a major revision to its postseason format beginning in 2028: the BMW Championship will lead 90 players into a two-week, group-stage followed by a four-day match-play Tour Championship. The top 32 will advance; the final week is a four-day match-play bracket to crown the season-long champion.
LIV Golf has announced staff reductions as it seeks a new lead investor to fund a revamped LIV 2.0 after Saudi PIF ends its backing. The move follows the 2026 season’s end and a canceled Detroit finale, with a timetable that hinges on securing capital and obtaining player buy-in.
The PGA Tour has confirmed that personal wagers by 55-year-old golfer Bart Gogel were not placed on events he participated in. He has accepted an 11-month suspension and will be eligible to return on February 22, 2027. Gogel has called the wagers an honest mistake and says he looks forward to resuming competition on the Champions tour.
The breakaway LIV Golf has filed for bankruptcy protection in New Jersey as it plans a restructuring and a return in a new form. Rahm has signalled he may return to the PGA Tour if opportunities open, and European hopes hinge on next year’s Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Jersey and has agreed a restructuring with BC Partners while Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has provided $49.6m in debtor-in-possession financing. The company has listed $500m–$1bn in liabilities, plans a player-majority ownership model and aims to return in 2027.