Adelaide Gives Up on LIV Golf as Premier Calls It "Game, Set and Match"

Australia has all but given up on hosting LIV Golf in Adelaide, with South Australia's premier declaring the event effectively over after the breakaway circuit's rescue funding collapsed. Peter Malinauskas said on Thursday he could not see the tournament going ahead, calling it "game, set and match" for LIV following an exodus of players and the withdrawal of its would-be financial backer. LIV filed for bankruptcy protection in September after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which has poured more than $5 billion into the league since its 2022 launch, announced it would end its backing after the 2026 season. Private capital firm BC Partners had stepped in with a plan to provide up to $300 million to relaunch the circuit in 2027, but dropped its bid this week after LIV failed to secure enough player commitments. Only four players had publicly committed to the revamped league. Adelaide has been one of LIV's most enthusiastic hosts, staging four annual events at The Grange Golf Club, with the next one scheduled for Kooyonga Golf Club in March. More than 115,000 people attended across four days last February, a record for a professional golf tournament in Australia. Kooyonga had already filed a motion in a US bankruptcy court in September saying LIV failed to pay the first instalment of its venue fee despite an extension. The club told Reuters it had received no advice from LIV and was seeking clarification. LIV now faces a bankruptcy court hearing in New Jersey on Thursday, where its future — and a possible liquidation — is expected to come into focus.