https://www.scmp.com/rss/524604/feed The latest news and top stories on Scott O’Neil. He assumed leadership of LIV Golf in January 2025, bringing over 25 years of extensive experience in sports and entertainment. His career includes executive roles at Merlin Entertainments, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment overseeing the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, and Madison Square Garden Sports with the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. Known for driving significant growth and strategic vision, O’Neil has a proven track... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two-time major champion Jon Rahm revealed he has several years remaining on his LIV Golf contract and doesn’t “see many ways out” after agreeing to a new deal that allows him to play on the DP World Tour. The 31-year-old Spaniard, a former world number one, spoke Tuesday ahead of this week’s LIV Golf Virginia event at Trump National Washington. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which had promised long-term support for the series, said last week it will pull funding after the 2026... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3352580/jon-rahm-doesnt-see-many-ways-out-lucrative-multi-year-liv-golf-contract?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3352580/jon-rahm-doesnt-see-many-ways-out-lucrative-multi-year-liv-golf-contract?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf said it was seeking to move to a “diversified, multi-partner investment model” after its Saudi Arabia backers opted to pull funding at the end of the 2026 season. The rumours of the past two weeks were confirmed on Thursday, with the league announcing a new board and strategic approach after the kingdom’s Private Investment Fund stopped the support that has seen it pour US$5 billion into the tour since its inception in 2022. A new board that has Eugene Davis, of Pirinate Consulting... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3351969/liv-golf-map-out-future-without-saudi-funding-strikes-upbeat-tone-what-comes-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3351969/liv-golf-map-out-future-without-saudi-funding-strikes-upbeat-tone-what-comes-next?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:36:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bryson DeChambeau addressed speculation that he could be leaving LIV Golf after this season by pledging, “As long as LIV is here, I ⁠would figure out a way for it to ⁠make sense.” DeChambeau told Flushing It Golf, in an interview ⁠published on Wednesday, that he is still working on “a potential contract” as he plays out the final season of his original LIV Golf deal. The circuit is facing questions about its future as rumours circulate that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund may be preparing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3351084/bryson-dechambeau-not-leaving-liv-golf-working-contract-he-plays-out-final-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3351084/bryson-dechambeau-not-leaving-liv-golf-working-contract-he-plays-out-final-season?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil admitted the nascent golf league’s finances are “managed very tightly” and said structural changes are on the way, but he remained ⁠adamant Thursday that the league will not ⁠fold. O’Neil was interviewed by LIV employees on the TV broadcast of ⁠the first round of LIV Golf Mexico City, a day after the Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was on the verge of cutting its funding for the league it helped launch in 2022. O’Neil, who has been in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3350397/liv-golf-ceo-scott-oneil-claims-business-usual-amid-reports-leagues-demise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3350397/liv-golf-ceo-scott-oneil-claims-business-usual-amid-reports-leagues-demise?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 03:35:53 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Rumours of LIV Golf’s demise have been greatly exaggerated according to sources close to the league’s operations, who pushed back at the swirling speculation that has dominated the sport for the past day. Several normally credible accounts on social media had claimed the league was on the verge of collapse, while The Daily Telegraph reported that LIV executives had been summoned to an emergency meeting in New York, and the Financial Times said Saudi Arabia’s Private Investment Fund, which backs... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3350233/liv-golf-going-ahead-full-throttle-staff-told-league-pushes-back-rumours-demise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3350233/liv-golf-going-ahead-full-throttle-staff-told-league-pushes-back-rumours-demise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:49:59 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball It is little more than a year since Scott O’Neil officially took over as LIV Golf CEO, brought in as the league’s calming influence following the whirlwind leadership of Greg Norman in the early days of disruption. A business background where he led some of the world’s biggest companies in sport and entertainment also gives the American a certain credibility, one that has translated into partnerships with the likes of HSBC - title sponsors of this week’s event in Hong Kong - Rolex and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345735/ceo-scott-oneil-set-break-some-eggs-take-liv-golf-top-pyramid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345735/ceo-scott-oneil-set-break-some-eggs-take-liv-golf-top-pyramid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:59:36 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport LIV Golf will return to Hong Kong for a fourth time in 2027, kick-starting the Year of the Goat by bringing some of the game’s best players back to the city once more. HSBC is again expected to sponsor the tournament, which will be held from February 18 to 21 at Hong Kong Golf Club, less than two weeks into the new Chinese year. And organisers said that from Sunday, fans who attend this week’s event will get “exclusive early access to specially priced 2027 tickets” via the league’s website. In... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345319/liv-golf-heading-back-hong-kong-2027-fans-get-early-shot-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3345319/liv-golf-heading-back-hong-kong-2027-fans-get-early-shot-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:00:11 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball The International Series will take its first steps into China this season, with Shanghai expected to host a tournament during a pivotal three-week swing that could also include the Philippines and Hong Kong. Although the Asian Tour’s schedule only lists an event from November 5 to 8, sources said officials were working on taking a tournament with a US$2.5 million prize fund to the country’s biggest city. Shanghai’s Enhance Anting Golf Club, which will stage the DP World Tour’s (DPWT) Volvo China... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344480/international-series-looking-introduce-asian-tour-tournament-china-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3344480/international-series-looking-introduce-asian-tour-tournament-china-season?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball It has been a busy 24 hours in the world of LIV Golf, from signing a deal with Rolex to losing Patrick Reed, announcing rule changes and finally releasing the 2026 International Series schedule. And with the LIV season-opener in Riyadh less than a week away, once again there seem to be more questions than answers ahead of the tour’s fifth year in existence. Here then is a quick breakdown of what’s been happening. Reed jumps ship Patrick Reed stunned pretty much everyone on Wednesday when he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341656/patrick-reed-rolex-and-rule-changes-24-hours-hectic-world-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3341656/patrick-reed-rolex-and-rule-changes-24-hours-hectic-world-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf boss Scott O’Neil said his organisation was “pushing the envelope” as fast as it could in a bullish state of the union-style address at the end of the league’s media week in Florida. In an upbeat assessment of the tour’s future, O’Neil said he was excited for what was coming, a day after Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith confirmed they had no interest in following Brooks Koepka back to the PGA Tour. Speaking in a press conference alongside several senior executives, O’Neil... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340065/liv-golf-ceo-scott-oneil-bullish-about-future-says-league-pushing-envelope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340065/liv-golf-ceo-scott-oneil-bullish-about-future-says-league-pushing-envelope?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:00:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball With a new look for a new season and a LIV Golf with new rules, Majesticks GC co-captains Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter see a year of potential after the struggles of past campaigns. An off-season when Laurie Canter opted to join as a replacement for Henrik Stenson rather than head to the PGA Tour, and saw Sam Horsfield return for another year, has given Majesticks an all-British line-up for the first time. Coupled with the move to four round tournaments rather than the three that was one of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339868/liv-golfs-majestiks-optimistic-new-look-all-british-line-can-benefit-rule-changes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3339868/liv-golfs-majestiks-optimistic-new-look-all-british-line-can-benefit-rule-changes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:30:15 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Three managers from top clubs in England and Scotland have lost their jobs within five days of each other in what can only be described as a wild week, even for football. Chelsea fired their manager Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day. This was followed by Manchester United parting ways with Ruben Amorim on January 5, and Celtic dispatching with Wilfried Nancy just hours later. In the cases of Maresca and Amorim, despite their teams’ poor run of form, the final straw was reportedly the deterioration... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338850/managerial-merry-go-round-chelsea-man-united-celtic-fire-bosses-within-5-days-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338850/managerial-merry-go-round-chelsea-man-united-celtic-fire-bosses-within-5-days-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 04:00:18 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Miguel Tabuena has already experienced the pain of missing out on a place in LIV Golf once, he does not plan on letting it happen a second time. The 31-year-old came agonisingly close to securing his spot via the International Series Rankings earlier this month, finishing third in a battle with Scott Vincent and Yosuke Asaji for the two spots up for grabs at the season finale in Saudi Arabia. But after a year when he thrilled fans by winning the series event on his home Sta Elena Golf Club... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3338118/philippines-star-miguel-tabuena-ready-challenge-games-elite-place-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3338118/philippines-star-miguel-tabuena-ready-challenge-games-elite-place-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:30:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rory McIlroy’s long-awaited Masters victory in April made him the first golfer in 25 years to join the sport’s most exclusive club, but Scottie Scheffler’s two-major haul in 2025 raised the possibility that the next career grand slam winner could be just around the corner. McIlroy, in his 11th attempt to complete the career grand slam, had to endure a topsy-turvy final round at Augusta National where he squandered a four-shot lead but then emerged from a crowded pack to prevail in a sudden-death... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337607/year-golf-rory-mcilroy-finally-joins-elite-club-scottie-scheffler-could-join-soon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337607/year-golf-rory-mcilroy-finally-joins-elite-club-scottie-scheffler-could-join-soon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 04:00:08 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Brooks Koepka, one of the LIV Golf originals, has quit the league ahead of the 2026 season, opening the door for a potential return to the PGA Tour. The five-time major winner said he was leaving for family reasons in a statement released on Tuesday. LIV Golf said the split was “amicably and mutually agreed”, adding that Talor Gooch would become the new captain of Smash GC, who Koepka had led since joining the breakaway tour in 2022. “Brooks is prioritising the needs of his family and staying... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337556/brooks-koepka-quits-liv-golf-family-reasons-gooch-captain-smash-gc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3337556/brooks-koepka-quits-liv-golf-family-reasons-gooch-captain-smash-gc-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 01:48:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse LIV Golf Hong Kong will be played over four rounds next March after officials said the league was abandoning its 54-hole format in favour of a traditional approach. The Saudi-backed circuit, whose name is derived from the Roman numeral for ‘54’, had previously touted its three-round tournaments as a core distinction from other tours. the shortened format prevented LIV events from earning Official Golf World Rankings points, making it harder for its players to qualify for golf’s majors. A... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3331550/liv-golf-turns-back-54-hole-format-moves-traditional-four-rounds-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3331550/liv-golf-turns-back-54-hole-format-moves-traditional-four-rounds-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 01:00:16 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport LIV Golf has made changes to its off-season promotions event, moving the tournament to Florida in January and increasing the number of qualifying spots to two. The additional place comes on top of one added to the International Series Rankings, meaning there are now four available over the next few months. While that is still one fewer than the number of players relegated from the league at the end of the season, it at least takes LIV in the right direction when it comes to improving player... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3331409/liv-golf-confirms-promotions-changes-adds-extra-spot-moves-event-florida?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3331409/liv-golf-confirms-promotions-changes-adds-extra-spot-moves-event-florida?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 02:16:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australian golf legend Greg Norman said he was proud of what he accomplished as the CEO of LIV Golf and that PGA Tour players had benefited from the Saudi-backed league. Norman, who stepped down from LIV Golf last month, called his time with the league “mission accomplished” in an interview with Australian Golf Digest. “When you look back on the past 12 months, there’s been a realisation that all those investment dollars have done great things for the institutions as well as the players, in all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3327917/greg-norman-describes-liv-golf-boss-tenure-mission-accomplished?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3327917/greg-norman-describes-liv-golf-boss-tenure-mission-accomplished?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:52:48 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf will return to Hong Kong in 2026 and beyond, after the Saudi-backed league announced on Wednesday that it had signed a new multi-year deal with the city. The agreement, which runs for an initial two years, and according to sources has an option for two more, could keep LIV at Hong Kong Golf Club until 2029. Next year’s tournament will return to Fanling from March 6 to 8, the week before LIV Golf Singapore. In what is shaping up to be a busy month for the league, a debut event in South... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3325815/liv-golf-signs-new-2-year-deal-hong-kong-hsbc-becomes-first-title-sponsor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3325815/liv-golf-signs-new-2-year-deal-hong-kong-hsbc-becomes-first-title-sponsor?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 08:00:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Greg Norman has officially brought his time with LIV to a close, four years after upending the world of golf with the team competition. The Australian was replaced as CEO by Scott O’Neil at the start of the year, and his exit was only a matter of time after that. In an Instagram post on Thursday, Norman announced his departure and said he was reflecting on “four unforgettable years … with nothing but gratitude, pride and achievement”. The 70-year-old was the very public face of a competition... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3325237/greg-norman-officially-ends-time-liv-golf-hails-movement-changed-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3325237/greg-norman-officially-ends-time-liv-golf-hails-movement-changed-game?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:29:01 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball LIV Golf has reapplied to be included in the Official World Golf Ranking and hopes to have approval ahead of the “2026 major season”, the league said in a statement on Friday. Responding to the OWGR’s announcement that it had started the review process to determine if the 54-player circuit would be included, Scott O’Neil, the LIV CEO, said he was confident the new application addressed the “outstanding questions” that scuppered the first attempt. Among those had been accusations that LIV was a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3317938/liv-reapplies-world-ranking-points-19-members-prepare-open-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3317938/liv-reapplies-world-ranking-points-19-members-prepare-open-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:54:39 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball HSBC has signed a multi-year partnership with LIV Golf that will see it sponsor two of the league’s 13 teams, as well as becoming the Saudi-backed circuit’s official banking partner. The agreement, which was announced on Thursday, runs for the whole of LIV’s 14-event season, starting at this week’s LIV Golf Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama in Spain. Hong Kong’s largest lender will also support Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC, who won the team title in the city in 2024, and the Majesticks GC... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3317739/hsbc-and-liv-golf-sign-multi-year-deal-bank-back-leagues-14-event-season-2-teams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3317739/hsbc-and-liv-golf-sign-multi-year-deal-bank-back-leagues-14-event-season-2-teams?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:20:27 +0000