DP World Tour boss makes explosive ‘destroy’ claim about LIV Golf’s $7bn mission

DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings has claimed that LIV Golf spent more than $7bn between 2022 and 2026 with one of its main objectives being to “destroy” the DPWT.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced it was withdrawing funding for the breakaway tour earlier this year, with many players jumping ship amid the LIV 2.0 era getting underway in 2027.

Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Championship this week, which is the first of two playoff events to end the DPWT season, Kinnings has made an allegation about LIV Golf’s intention towards the tour.

Speaking to Martin Dempster of the Scotsman ahead of the penultimate event of the season, Kinnings claims to have been informed by several trusted figures within the game that LIV wanted to destroy the circuit.

“We've got to protect that special culture that we have on the Tour. And you see it across the whole Tour. That's why I'm so proud of what we have - it's like nowhere else in the world,” said Kinnings.

“But we also have to protect the Tour against an entity who spent, so we are told, over $7 billion, with one of their aims being to ‘destroy the DP World Tour’.

“I have heard that from so many different people they talked to, who I have known for over 30 years within the game and who I trust implicitly.

“Clearly when you are faced with statements like that, and then people then ask why we are doing what we are doing with our membership and invite policy for 2027, then I think the answer becomes pretty obvious.”

Guy Kinnings delivers damning LIV Golf verdict

Kinnings doesn’t hold back and his comments come just days after several former LIV Golfers announced they were returning to the DPWT, including former Masters champion Sergio Garcia.

This has been met with some concern from certain players on the DPWT, including the likes of Marc Warren and Joost Luiten regarding tournament invitations.

“There's lots of players wanting to play on our Tour. We've got pathways from around the world and that’s a good thing,” continues Kinnings.

“And there are players who are going through Tour School or playing our HotelPlanner Tour and trying to get there on merit. But we also now see lots of players who are looking at their options and who want to come and play. Some really strong names. So we're in a strong position.

“But, in terms of the invites, I believe there is a slight misconception as to what we are doing with these so I want to try and clear that up. For a start we are not creating a special exemption category for these invites and secondly, these invites are not for our Rolex Series events.

“They will be targeted around some of those smaller tournaments, the smaller national opens in the period from February through August, that would benefit from stronger fields.”

Kinnings appears to be confident about the future of the DPWT, stating that there are “over a billion dollars currently contracted across the Tour” which is certainly a strong position to be in.

With the uncertainty over what LIV 2.0 has in store, plus major changes coming to the PGA Tour from 2028 onwards, Kinnings has every right to feel positive about the future.