The upstart Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit has been forced to delay its planned debut tournament in New Orleans, Louisiana, multiple U.S. outlets reported Monday, a decision that comes as the series faces looming financial uncertainty following reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is preparing to end its financial backing of the league ahead of its fifth season.
The new four-day event was originally scheduled to take place June 25–28 at Bayou Oaks Golf Course, located within New Orleans’ City Park. Both sports outlet The Athletic and local New Orleans broadcaster WDSU confirmed the postponement, which was agreed upon during a meeting last Friday between LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois. An official public announcement of the change is expected as early as Tuesday.
As of Monday evening, the New Orleans tournament still remained listed on LIV Golf’s official 2026 schedule website. While both sides have expressed interest in revisiting the idea of hosting a revised LIV event in the city this fall, the league’s entire 2026 season is currently scheduled to wrap up in August, putting that timeline in question.
Louisiana had invested heavily to attract the tournament, earmarking $2 million in public funds for course upgrades at the state-owned City Park venue and setting aside an additional $3 million hosting fee. State officials projected the event would generate up to $70 million in local economic activity for the New Orleans region. Under the terms of the postponement agreement, LIV will return $1 million of the $1 million already disbursed to the league according to WDSU, while The Athletic reports the refund total will be $1.2 million, with the remaining upgrade funds counted as a permanent public improvement to the state-owned golf facility. No additional public funds will be allocated to the tournament going forward.
The postponement has amplified growing questions about the future of LIV Golf, which launched in 2022 with the goal of disrupting the professional golf world by poaching top PGA Tour talent with massive, nine-figure contracts. Jon Rahm of Spain, one of the highest-profile defections, has won the last two LIV season titles, but the league has struggled to build consistent global viewership and fan engagement. In a sign of those ongoing challenges, several high-profile players including Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have already returned to the PGA Tour, with more potentially following.
The 2026 LIV Golf season remains on track for its next scheduled stop, set for May 7–10 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington D.C.’s Virginia suburbs. The circuit currently has other planned stops in South Korea in May, Spain in June, and England in July before wrapping the season with three U.S. events in August: a tournament at Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey, an event in Indianapolis, and the season-ending team championship in Michigan scheduled for August 27–30.