The future of LIV Golf is very much up in the air. CEO Scott O’Neil alluded during the league’s broadcast from Mexico City that although the league is fully funded through 2026, there’s major uncertainty surrounding the outlook beyond that.
That came after reports circulated that the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the league’s major financial backer, was preparing to pull its funding as it reshifts the priorities amid the conflict in Iran.
Former ESPN personality Trey Wingo attempted to read between the lines and draw conclusions about LIV’s future from its stars’ actions.
“LIV is essentially dead, it’s easy to see,” Wingo said in a recent video. “Phil Mickelson has yet to play in a LIV event this year, and he says it’s from, you know, he’s dealing with a personal health issue with someone in his family. And I’m sure that might be true, but he hasn’t played in a single event.
“The fact that he hasn’t played in a single event probably should have told us something, right? I mean, no one was a bigger champion of LIV than Phil Mickelson.”
Wingo also made note of Bryson DeChambeau being “very emotional” after winning a Tour event in South Africa, speculating that “he might have been thinking, ‘this might be my last LIV event ever.'”
“So when you go back and look [at their actions] through a different lens, it’s kind of easier to see, isn’t it?” he concluded.
In reality, Mickelson has been dealing with a personal health matter that forced him to pull out of the Masters as well, and DeChambeau has been dealing with his own things outside of golf.
LIV golfer Ian Poulter, knowing the truth about what Mickelson and DeChambeau were dealing with, called the sportscaster out on X, and Wingo took accountability.
“You’re 100% right — that’s on me. I shouldn’t have done that, I understand and take full responsibility. Thank you for calling me out on this. You were right to do so,” he responded.
This isn’t the first time Wingo has speculated that LIV will end, and while that may still be the case, theories about its future based on players’ personal circumstances aren’t a responsible way to report on the story. Wingo fell short of this one, but taking responsibility is a start.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.