Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced it will end its financial backing of LIV Golf at the end of the 2026 season, leaving the tour’s long-term future uncertain. LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam believes LIV Golf has had some positive effects on the sport, but overall, it has not changed the game significantly.
“I mean overall, I think it had some positives but overall I think, you know, not really changed too much,” Sorenstam told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
“It certainly interrupted the game of golf,” Sorenstam added with a laugh. “I think that’s why we’re seeing the changes on the PGA Tour.”
The PGA Tour recently announced sweeping changes to its format, and Sorenstam attributed that to LIV Golf. “I mean they don’t see what they had before LIV was sustainable, apparently, and therefore they have changed a lot of things. The purses have gone up which obviously is great for the players.”
Sorenstam welcomed the increased financial investment in the sport but expressed doubts about LIV Golf’s business model. “I do think that in a way, from the outside it’s always easy to say, but I don’t think anybody thought it was a great business model. There was a lot of money going into the sport, which I welcome, but it didn’t seem like there was a great investment. So I think it was hard to just maintain it,” Sorenstam told Fox News Digital.
Sorenstam will participate in the American Century Championship from July 10 to 12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. She is one of the favorites to win the tournament and will raise awareness for the Annika Foundation, which aims to empower and advance young women through golf and life skills.
“We try to empower and advance young women through the game of golf, but also in life, different life skills, and it’s been really rewarding and satisfying to see how far women’s golf has come and how many of these young women are pursuing their dreams. It’s been a lot of fun, and just watching the difference we’re making in these young women’s life,” Sorenstam said.
The American Century Championship will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock, featuring a Stableford scoring format that requires players to be more aggressive and pursue more birdies and eagles.
