What began as a billion-dollar disruption to professional golf's established order has arrived at a quieter, more sobering reckoning. LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed breakaway league that reshaped the sport's economics and allegiances since 2021, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2026, leaving at least $45 million in unpaid obligations to the players it once recruited with historic guarantees. With Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund having withdrawn its support, the league now seeks reinvention under private investment — a humbler architecture of equity stakes and qualifiers
LIV Golf files for bankruptcy with $45m owed to players as Saudi funding ends
Professional golfers face contract termination and financial uncertainty, with at least $45m in unpaid compensation affecting current and former players.