The PGA Tour has spent the last few years throwing money at the problem as it tried to keep its best players from going to LIV Golf. Now, with LIV’s financial backing drying up, the question isn’t whether the Tour overspent. It’s whether it can keep up the pace it set for itself.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Golf Channel insider Rex Hoggard revealed that a source familiar with the Future Competitions Committee told him, “The Tour is confident it can maintain those purses, and not only maintain, but depending on what happens with the PGA Tour schedule, depending on what happens with new TV and media rights deals, which should be negotiated in the next year or so, this source says they’re actually confident they can move forward and increase those purses.”
That confidence is grounded in real numbers. The PGA Tour’s purse explosion began in 2023 when Commissioner Jay Monahan called LIV Golf an “irrational threat” and launched the signature events model, pushing top-tier purses to $20 million. In 2026, those purses held steady at $20 million, The Players Championship sits at $25 million, and the Tour Championship pays out $40 million. Total season prize money is projected to exceed $500 million, backed by a $1.5 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group.
"How does today's news about the Public Investment Fund divesting from LIV Golf affect the PGA Tour?" Rex Hoggard provides an update on the PGA Tour's purses and schedule ⬇️
The schedule-oriented conversation is equally significant. Rexx noted speculation around a possible right-sizing of the PGA Tour’s calendar.
“Just last week, they announced that the start of the season would be pushed back at least two weeks with the loss of the two Hawaiian Swing events, the Sentry and the Sony Open,” he said, signaling that changes are already underway.
The Tour is planning a broader 2027-2028 overhaul built around a “first track” of 21 to 26 elite events running from January through September. This will include 16 signature events with consistent 120-player fields and 36-hole cuts. A two-tier promotion and relegation system and a sharper focus on major U.S. markets are also on the table.
The policy board meeting on June 22 will be a critical checkpoint. CEO Brian Rolapp has committed to hosting a press conference at the Travelers Championship immediately after, promising “more meaningful progress” on recommendations that are still being shaped with input from players, partners, and key stakeholders.
With PIF pulling out and LIV scrambling toward a franchise-based investor model of uncertain viability, the Tour’s window to solidify its position both financially and structurally has never been wider. The decisions made in the next 12 to 18 months will likely define professional golf’s competitive landscape for the decade ahead.
While the PGA Tour makes a big decision, even LIV Golf’s own house is far from in order right now.
LIV Golf’s survival plan: New investors, same promises
LIV Golf announced Thursday that the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia is withdrawing its financial support after 2026, putting the tour in an urgent scramble for long-term investment partners to keep the operation afloat past this season.
Gene Davis, chairman of LIV’s newly formed Independent Directors Committee, framed this as a growth opportunity, stating the tour has “demonstrated commercial momentum” and a clear path to attract serious capital, though no concrete funding commitments have been announced yet.
The numbers LIV is pitching to potential investors show some promise. Revenue is reportedly tracking $100 million above last season, Rolex and HSBC remain on board as sponsors, and 10 of its 13 teams are projected to turn a profit in 2026.
But the bigger question is for star players like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, both of whom recently turned down accelerated PGA Tour re-entry pathways. Now with PIF pulling out, their decisions seem much riskier, and their professional futures are genuinely uncertain beyond 2026.
