LIV Golf faces a looming timetable crunch as its June New Orleans event may be dropped. Chief executive O'Neil issued a blunt “business as usual” note to staff just days after reports of the Saudi‑backed fund’s withdrawal surfaced. The tour has declared funding will last until 2032, yet insiders doubt the pledge.

The league, which switched to a 72‑hole format this season, has already poured more than $5 bn (£3.8 bn) into its operations. Fresh capital of $266.7 m arrived earlier this year, but losses outside the US hit $462 m (£340 m) in 2024, bringing cumulative deficits to over $1.1 bn (£810 m) since 2021. PIF has been the primary backer for the tour's expansion globally.

Without the New Orleans stop, LIV will have a 47‑day dry spell between 7 June and 23 July, cutting into the heart of the golf calendar. Players such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin and Laurie Canter will lose a key venue for preparation ahead of the US Open and The Open.

The uncertainty also rattles the DP World Tour, where several LIV stars have accepted membership to keep playing through the gap. O'Neil has admitted the league is hunting for new backing beyond 2026, but failure to deliver on the current schedule risks eroding confidence among potential investors and could leave the breakaway format stranded.