"You mattered" - LIV Golf boss sends urgent memo to staff and players in Mexico

LIV Golf boss Scott O'Neil has told players and staff of the breakaway tour the season will continue "at full throttle". 

Speculation over the league's future has been rife since Tuesday evening after American golf reporter, Ryan French, claimed a "bombshell announcement" about their future was imminent. 

Telegraph Sport then reported that high-ranking LIV officials had been called for an emergency meeting in New York, with the agenda of their gathering unclear.

The Financial Times was among publications to report that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is set to end its support for the league after just four seasons. 

But O'Neil, who replaced former Open champion Greg Norman in January 2025, struck a completely different tone in an email that was sent to players and staff ahead of their sixth stop of the year in Mexico. 

It reads: "Following up on my previous message, which I realise may have led to some confusion on where we stand as a business.

"I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle. 

"While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. 

"We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.

"The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure. 

"We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we've answered every time with resilience and grace. 

"Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports."

Former Masters champion Sergio Garcia was among the players to be asked about what he knew about the latest reports. 

Garcia, who hit the headlines last week for his outburst of anger at the 2026 Masters, insisted he had not heard anything about LIV's demise.

The 46-year-old Spaniard explained that LIV's chairman and PIF governor, Yasir Al Rumayyan, told the players he was completely behind the project and it would exist for many years to come. 

O'Neil added: "We carry incredible momentum into Mexico City. 

"Just last week at Augusta National, the world was reminded of the calibre of player this league represents. 

"With five players making the cut and Tyrrell Hatton’s gutsy T3—a career-best major finish that punches his ticket back for 2027—LIV Golf continues to prove it houses the elite of the elite.

"Now, we take that energy to Club de Golf Chapultepec. 

"We are coming off a historic week in South Africa where over 100,000 fans at Steyn City showed us exactly why this league matters. 

"This week, we raise the stakes in our sixth country of the year."

O'Neil did not say whether LIV Golf will continue beyond this season. 

BBC Sport have previously reported players were told that funding was in place until 2023, while GOLF 's Sean Zak has claimed LIV's previous cash injection, dated 1 February 2026, was worth more than $260m. 

O'Neil signed off his email with the words "you mattered", prompting speculation as to whether it was a typo or he had edited it from a previous version that was more ominous. 

"Let's go out and show the world why LIV Golf is the future of the game," he said. 

"It matters. You mattered. Now, let's go win."

LIV Golf launched in June 2022 after luring several star names away from the PGA Tour. 

After more than a year of unprecedented disruption in the elite men's game, the PGA and DP World Tour announced a framework agreement on 6 June 2023, but there is no sign of it coming to fruition. 

It has been speculated that the European-based DP World Tour would potentially entertain the idea of becoming more closely aligned with LIV Golf if their "strategic alliance" with their US partners were to end prematurely. 

PGA Tour boss, Brian Rolapp, told reporters in June that the circuit wanted to strengthen their ties with the DPWT. 

Rolapp also refused to be drawn into speculation about LIV's future.