Asian Tour Ends LIV Golf Partnership, Aligns With DP World Tour and PGA Tour

Asian Tour Ends LIV Golf Partnership, Aligns With DP World Tour and PGA Tour

By Alex Christian| MBCF News_July 26, 2026

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — The Asian Tour has ended its partnership with LIV Golf and will instead align itself with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, dealing another setback to the Saudi-backed league as it prepares for the 2027 season.

According to Golfweek columnist Eamon Lynch, LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil was informed of the decision during a meeting at Royal Birkdale on July 16. The move reportedly came as a surprise to O'Neil and follows a series of financial and operational challenges facing the league.

The Asian Tour had served as a key pathway into LIV Golf and played an important role in helping the league gain limited Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points earlier this year. With the partnership ending, LIV's access to that pathway has been significantly reduced.

Schedule and Financial Pressure

The report also said LIV Golf is considering reducing its schedule from 14 tournaments in 2026 to 10 events in 2027. Sources cited by Golfweek said events in Hong Kong and Singapore are expected to leave the LIV schedule. Other potential venues, including Macau, the Philippines, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia, are also reportedly no longer available through the Asian Tour relationship.

LIV Golf has also reportedly explored partnerships with other tournaments, including the Wales Open, as it works to finalize its future schedule.

In addition, Golfweek reported that O'Neil is seeking new financing for LIV Golf, with September 1 set as an internal target to secure additional investment.

OWGR Review Looms

The Official World Golf Ranking said it will continue reviewing LIV Golf's status as the league changes its structure.

"OWGR acknowledges that LIV Golf is planning further changes for the 2027 season. As LIV Golf continues to evolve, OWGR will continue to evaluate LIV Golf against OWGR's eligibility standards, which could result in an increase in points, a decrease in points or removal from the system altogether."

— Official World Golf Ranking

The Asian Tour has not publicly detailed the reasons for ending its partnership, while LIV Golf has yet to officially announce its 2027 schedule or respond publicly to the reported changes.

Analysis 

LIV Golf's Asian Tour Split Signals a Defining Moment for the Breakaway League

The loss of one of LIV Golf's most important partners raises fresh questions about its future, world ranking status, and long-term ability to compete with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

For much of its existence, LIV Golf has relied on one powerful advantage over its rivals—money. Backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the breakaway league spent billions signing some of golf's biggest names, creating a team-based format and promising to reshape professional golf. But the reported decision by the Asian Tour to end its partnership with LIV suggests that financial power alone may no longer be enough to secure the league's future.

Although LIV still features stars such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, the departure of the Asian Tour represents something more significant than losing a business partner. It removes one of the league's strongest connections to the wider world of professional golf and increases uncertainty at a time when LIV is already facing major questions about its direction.

The Asian Tour Was More Than Just an Ally

When LIV Golf launched, the Asian Tour became one of its earliest and most valuable partners. The relationship gave the Asian Tour much-needed investment while providing LIV with an established presence across Asia.

Just as importantly, it created a pathway for players between tours. That became increasingly valuable as LIV tried to convince the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) that it deserved recognition within golf's global ranking system.

Without those connections, LIV risks becoming even more isolated from the traditional structure of professional golf. While the league can still stage tournaments independently, building a sustainable golf ecosystem requires partnerships, development pathways and cooperation with other organizations—not simply financial backing.

The Asian Tour's decision to align itself with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour instead suggests those established organizations continue to strengthen their global influence while LIV searches for stability.

World Ranking Questions Return

Perhaps the biggest consequence of the split concerns the Official World Golf Ranking.

Earlier this year, LIV finally achieved limited access to OWGR points after years of debate. However, that approval came with conditions, particularly regarding the league's competitive structure and player pathways.

The Asian Tour helped satisfy some of those concerns by giving golfers another recognized route into LIV competition. Losing that relationship could force the OWGR to reassess whether LIV still meets its eligibility requirements.

That matters because world rankings remain one of the main ways players qualify for golf's four major championships. Established stars may already have exemptions, but younger players hoping to build careers could face increasing difficulties if LIV's ranking status changes again.

For many professionals, competing in the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open remains the ultimate career goal. Any uncertainty surrounding ranking points creates another difficult decision for players considering their long-term future.

A Smaller Schedule Could Reflect a New Reality

Reports that LIV Golf may reduce its calendar from 14 tournaments to 10 in 2027 could be interpreted in two ways.

Supporters may argue that a shorter schedule allows the league to focus on quality rather than quantity while reducing unnecessary expenses.

Critics, however, may see it as evidence that LIV is scaling back after failing to establish the global footprint originally promised.

A reduced schedule also creates practical challenges. Fewer tournaments mean fewer opportunities for sponsors, broadcasters and fans to engage with the product throughout the season. It also reduces playing opportunities for golfers who committed to LIV believing it would become a full-scale alternative to the PGA Tour.

If events in Hong Kong and Singapore also disappear from the calendar, LIV's international identity becomes even weaker.

Money Can Build a League, But It Cannot Guarantee Loyalty

Since its launch, LIV Golf has demonstrated that enormous financial investment can attract elite players.

What it has not proven is whether money alone can build long-term partnerships.

Business relationships are often based on confidence as much as financial support. When organizations begin distancing themselves from a project, it naturally raises questions about future stability.

The Asian Tour's reported decision could encourage other partners to reconsider their own relationships with LIV, particularly if uncertainty over tournament schedules and financing continues.

That does not necessarily mean more departures are inevitable, but perceptions matter in professional sports. Confidence can influence sponsorship agreements, broadcasting deals and player recruitment just as much as prize money.

Scott O'Neil Faces His Biggest Test

Since becoming LIV Golf's CEO, Scott O'Neil has inherited one of the most challenging jobs in professional sports.

Unlike Greg Norman, whose role centered largely on launching the league, O'Neil must now prove that LIV can evolve into a sustainable business.

According to reports, he is working to secure additional financing while finalizing the 2027 schedule and protecting LIV's world ranking status.

None of those tasks will be easy.

Securing new tournament venues, maintaining player confidence and convincing partners that LIV remains a long-term investment all require stability—something the league has struggled to demonstrate in recent months.

The coming months may define O'Neil's leadership more than any promotional campaign or player signing.

The Battle for Golf's Future Continues

Despite another difficult headline, writing off LIV Golf entirely would be premature.

The league still possesses significant financial resources, recognizable stars and global visibility. It has also succeeded in forcing changes across professional golf, including increased prize money and structural reforms on other tours.

However, the challenge has evolved.

The conversation is no longer about whether LIV can attract famous golfers. It is about whether it can create a lasting place within the sport's global ecosystem.

The Asian Tour's departure highlights that success in modern professional golf depends on more than large contracts and headline signings. Stable partnerships, recognized qualification pathways and commercial credibility are equally important.

As the 2027 season approaches, LIV Golf faces perhaps its most important period since its launch. Whether it can replace lost partnerships, preserve its standing with the Official World Golf Ranking and convince players that its future remains secure will determine whether this latest setback becomes merely another obstacle—or the beginning of a far more significant decline.

Source: Golfweek (Eamon Lynch)