Trevor Ng
The Super Golf League (SGL) is a proposed global professional golf tour financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The SGL is often referred to as a breakaway circuit from the PGA Tour, similar to the European Super League in football. The SGL has been accused of being a form of sportswashing, with Saudi Arabia attempting to improve its reputation, especially in the Western world, by investing heavily in various athletic organisations and events. The SGL has faced opposition from some golfers, including Tiger Woods, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Thomas, who have publicly backed the PGA Tour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | LIV Golf |
| Type | Professional men's golf tour |
| Owner/Commissioner | Greg Norman (former), Scott O'Neil (current) |
| Funding | Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia |
| Purpose | To improve Saudi Arabia's reputation, especially in the Western world |
| Format | 54 holes played at each event |
| Participants | Danny Lee, Thomas Pieters, Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Caleb Surratt, Kieran Vincent, etc. |
| Media Rights | DAZN, DirecTV, Eleven Sports, L'Équipe, Mola, Sina Sports, Sky Deutschland, SPOTV, MBC, SBS, Coupang Play, SuperSport, Viaplay, Facebook, YouTube, etc. |
| Related Entities | Premier Golf League (PGL), World Golf Tour, European Players Super League (EPSL), World Players Super League (WPSL) |
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LIV Golf
The league has a prize fund of $405 million. Its events are scheduled to avoid conflicting with major championships, the PGA Tour's premier tournaments, and international team events. LIV Golf has recruited several notable players, including former world number ones Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, and Lee Westwood, as well as major champions Sergio García and Louis Oosthuizen.
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Saudi-backed
The Saudi-backed LIV Golf series, often referred to as the "Super Golf League", is a professional men's golf tour financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds. The PIF is essentially the financial arm of the Saudi Arabian government, which has been accused of corruption and numerous human rights abuses.
LIV Golf was launched in October 2021 by former professional golfer Greg Norman, who was named CEO. It is not Norman's first attempt at creating a breakaway golf tour; in 1994, he partnered with Fox Sports on a proposed circuit known as the World Golf Tour, which would have consisted of eight international tournaments open to top players on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
LIV Golf has been described as the golfing equivalent of the breakaway European Super League in football. The series has faced criticism for being an attempt by the Saudi monarchy to improve its public image through sports, a practice often referred to as "sportswashing". Despite this, LIV Golf has attracted players from the PGA Tour, with reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm signing with LIV Golf in December 2023.
LIV Golf has reached broadcasting agreements with multiple platforms, including DAZN, DirecTV, Eleven Sports, L'Équipe, Mola, Sina Sports, Sky Deutschland, SPOTV, MBC, SuperSport, and Viaplay. In March 2025, LIV Golf announced a global broadcasting agreement with DAZN, which will see it stream its events via the FAST channel LIV Golf+ on the DAZN app.
LIV Golf events feature 54 holes played over three days, with a unique format that combines matchplay and strokeplay. The season runs from February to August, with 13 regular-season events followed by a Team Championship finale. Each event begins with a shotgun start, with 18 groups of players spread around the course, all teeing off at the same time. The format creates instant drama and a nerve-shredding final round, with the winning team claiming the Team Championship.
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Super Golf League
The Super Golf League (SGL) is a proposed global professional golf tour. It is financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), the country's sovereign wealth fund, and has been referred to as a Saudi-backed league. The PIF's involvement in the SGL is seen as an attempt by the Saudi monarchy to improve its public image, particularly in the Western world, through sports. This practice, known as "sportswashing," has been criticised by some journalists and commentators due to the country's record of corruption and human rights abuses.
The idea of a breakaway circuit from the PGA Tour is not new. The PGA Tour itself was established in 1967 when players split from the PGA of America. More recently, in the mid-1990s, former World No. 1 Greg Norman and media tycoon Rupert Murdoch attempted to create the "World Golf Tour," featuring top players in an eight-event series.
LIV Golf, a golf entity backed by the PIF, aspired to have its own global professional tour, which became known as the Super Golf League. In October 2021, LIV Golf Investments was formally launched, with Greg Norman as its CEO and commissioner of the Super Golf League. The league's early framework became public in 2019, and it began recruiting players in 2022, with the first LIV Golf Invitational Series event taking place in June 2022 in the UK. The Invitational Series became the LIV Golf League in 2023.
LIV Golf has reached broadcasting agreements with multiple platforms, including DAZN, DirecTV, Eleven Sports, L'Équipe, Mola, Sina Sports, Sky Deutschland, and more. In March 2025, LIV Golf announced a global broadcasting agreement with DAZN to stream its events via the LIV Golf+ channel on the DAZN app.
While the Super Golf League has attracted interest from investors and players, it has also faced opposition. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan warned that players who sided with a rival league would face suspension or a lifetime ban. Additionally, top players like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy have publicly backed the PGA Tour. Despite the initial momentum, the SGL appears to have lost some of its traction, with McIlroy declaring it "dead in the water."
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Premier Golf League
The Premier Golf League (PGL) is a concept for a global professional golf tour that would rival the PGA Tour. The PGL was the first of two groups attempting to create a breakaway golf tour, the other being LIV Golf, which is financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
The PGL initially sought a partnership with the PGA Tour and held talks with Saudi investors about a financial partnership. However, Golf Saudi, a division of the Public Investment Fund, decided to back LIV Golf, which is often referred to as the "Super Golf League".
LIV Golf aspired to establish its own global professional tour, which some have likened to the breakaway European Super League in football. The PGL concept still exists, but its prospects have faded with the emergence of LIV Golf.
LIV Golf is a professional men's golf tour that began with the LIV Golf Invitational Series in June 2022 at the Centurion Club near St Albans, UK. This became the LIV Golf League in 2023, with players such as Danny Lee, Thomas Pieters, Mito Pereira, and Sebastian Munoz joining the circuit.
LIV Golf has attracted significant investment and media interest, with multiple broadcasters agreeing to stream its events. The organisation has also recruited high-profile players with offers of large sums of money.
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World Players Super League
The World Players Super League (WPSL), is a pioneering golf league that brings together amateur golfers from around the world to compete in a single, global competition. The WPSL is an extension of the European Players Super League (EPSL) and has attracted a substantial following, with over 2,300 members across the UK and the UAE joining in its opening year.
The league's innovative concept allows amateur golfers in different countries to fly and compete worldwide, resonating with the masses and investors alike. Feisal Nahaboo, the founder of WPSL, believes that an additional £10 billion will be invested by amateurs in golf over the next two years alone. The WPSL has already gained traction among high-net-worth individuals, with 2,000 members based in the UAE, including 350 CEOs of notable companies.
In addition to the super league, the WPSL plans to launch a monthly cup competition for 10,000 amateurs, with 100 winning "massive" prizes. The monthly WPSL World Championship is a golf tournament concept valued at up to £100 million, which has proven attractive to investors. It allows amateur players to compete globally each month, playing on their own local courses and as part of the same worldwide competition.
The WPSL is poised for rapid growth, with plans to expand to new countries and jurisdictions. The league's innovative concept and significant investor interest make it an attractive opportunity for those looking to tap into the growing golf market, which is currently valued at £50 billion and expected to continue growing.
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Frequently asked questions
The Super Golf League (SGL) is a proposed breakaway golf tour financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). It is designed to rival the PGA Tour and has been described as the golfing equivalent of the European Super League in football.
The idea of a breakaway golf tour is not new, with the PGA Tour itself being formed after players split from the PGA of America in 1967. The SGL was first proposed in 2019 and initially had the backing of the PIF. However, the PIF eventually backed another entity, LIV Golf Investments, which launched in October 2021 with former golfer Greg Norman as its CEO.
LIV Golf is a professional men's golf tour backed by the PIF, which operates on behalf of the Saudi Arabian government. The name "LIV" refers to the Roman numerals for 54, the number of holes played at LIV events. The first LIV Golf event took place in June 2022 and the Invitational Series became the LIV Golf League in 2023.
