LIV Golf star Thomas Pieters says he would retire rather than return to PGA Tour as Saudi funding ends

Key facts

• Thomas Pieters said he was ready to retire if LIV Golf folded, and would never return to the PGA Tour.
• Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew funding from LIV Golf, citing a shift in investment strategy.
• PIF Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan cited the US-Israel war on Iran and minimal returns as reasons for reassessing sports investments.
• LIV Golf has retained investment bank Ducera Partners to secure long-term capital.
• A player meeting is scheduled for May 5 at Trump National outside Washington D.C. with CEO Scott O'Neil.
• PIF sold a 70% stake in Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in April 2025.
• Snooker's Saudi Arabia Masters was canceled, and the WTA had funding pulled for a season-ending event.
• Human Rights Watch views PIF sports investments as sportswashing to whitewash human rights abuses.

A league in limbo

Thomas Pieters, the Belgian golfer who signed with LIV Golf in 2023, said he was prepared to retire rather than return to the PGA Tour if the Saudi-backed league folds. Speaking on the Dan on Golf Show, Pieters described the atmosphere among players as 'very grim' after news broke that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) was pulling its support. 'I was ready to retire on Monday if they really pull the plug that quick, and that was OK with me,' he said. LIV Golf, founded in 2021, split the golf world by luring top players with enormous salaries. But last week, PIF announced it was ending its 'substantial investment,' stating that the long-term commitment was 'no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF's investment strategy.' The league now faces an uncertain future, with funding set to end after the 2026 season.

Pieters's defiance and the player exodus

While some LIV players have reportedly had their agents reach out to the PGA Tour about returning, Pieters is adamant he will not rejoin. 'I’m definitely never going back to the PGA Tour. I’ve never liked that life. And that’s not me having a go at the PGA Tour, it’s not for me,' he said. If LIV disappears, Pieters said he might play on the European Tour or explore other options. Pieters acknowledged that other players are guessing about the league's future. 'We are just guessing right now. But if we’re playing for 5 million next year or I could play on the DP World Tour for 3 million but be close to home that’s something I’d have to look at it when it comes,' he said. He added that CEO Scott O'Neil has told players he is seeking broader funding, calling it 'a massive challenge.'

Saudi Arabia's broader sports retreat

The PIF's withdrawal from golf is part of a wider pullback from sports investments across the kingdom. In football, the PIF sold a 70% stake in Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in April, framing it as a strategy to 'maximize returns and redeploy capital within the domestic economy.' Snooker's Saudi Arabia Masters was canceled last week, two years into a 10-year deal. The women's tennis association (WTA) had funding pulled and a season-ending event struck off. Saudi Arabia also abandoned plans to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup and the 2029 Asian Winter Games. PIF Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan, who also chairs Newcastle United, state oil company Aramco, and mining giant Ma'aden, said the fund is 'reviewing its investments and deals' and 'reassessing its priorities' due to the fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran and minimal returns. The PIF stated that its 2026-30 strategy marks a shift from rapid growth to 'sustained value creation' with a focus on efficiency and governance.

The sportswashing debate

Saudi Arabia's sports spending has long been criticized as sportswashing — using sports to distract from human rights abuses. Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that 'PIF investments in high-profile sports and entertainment events domestically and internationally are used to whitewash the country's abysmal human rights record.' The kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy, aimed at diversifying away from oil, has driven the investment spree, but the recent pullback suggests economic and political pressures are forcing a recalibration. Despite the retreat, Saudi Arabia retains some sports interests. The PIF has not sold English Premier League club Newcastle United, and appears committed to football ahead of hosting the 2034 World Cup. Other sports like MMA seem safe for now. The intertwined roles of al-Rumayyan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ensure government control over sporting assets, making any complete disengagement unlikely.

LIV Golf's survival strategy

In response to the funding cut, LIV Golf has retained investment bank Ducera Partners to drive a long-term capital strategy. The league is positioning itself to survive independently of PIF money. A player meeting is scheduled for May 5 at Trump National outside Washington D.C., where CEO Scott O'Neil is expected to address the media at 9 a.m. ET. Pieters expressed cautious optimism, saying, 'They’re obviously trying to get it together next year. We’ll see.' He noted that official communication from LIV often comes only half a day before it is released to the public. The league's ability to secure new investors will determine whether it can continue beyond the current season.

What comes next for golf's fractured landscape

The collapse of LIV Golf would leave the PGA Tour as the dominant force in men's professional golf, but the return of former LIV players is not guaranteed. Pieters's stance highlights the deep divisions the Saudi-backed league has created. The PGA Tour has not publicly addressed how it would handle re-integrating players who left for LIV. For Pieters, the future is uncertain but not alarming. 'I’m not fussed about it at this point because I feel like I still have a duty to focus on these next six, seven tournaments on LIV and then we’ll see,' he said. As the May 5 meeting approaches, the golf world watches to see whether LIV can secure a new lease on life or whether its players will scatter.

The bottom line

• Thomas Pieters would retire rather than return to the PGA Tour if LIV Golf folds, reflecting deep player loyalty to the breakaway league.
• Saudi Arabia's PIF is pulling back from sports investments due to economic pressures and geopolitical fallout, ending LIV Golf's primary funding.
• LIV Golf has hired Ducera Partners to find new investors and is holding a player meeting on May 5 to discuss its future.
• The Saudi retreat extends beyond golf, with canceled events in snooker, tennis, and rugby, though football investments remain partially intact.
• Human rights groups view the sports spending as sportswashing, a criticism that persists despite the kingdom's reduced involvement.
• The PGA Tour faces potential challenges in reintegrating LIV players, many of whom have expressed reluctance to return.