If Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), was looking for a reason to pull its money out of the LIV Golf tour, he reportedly found it in Sergio Garcia's outburst at the Masters in April.
That's the claim in Friday's edition of The Financial Times.
"In April, as LIV golfers floundered at the Masters, golf's most prestigious tournament, Spanish star Sergio Garcia damaged the Augusta National course during a fit of rage in the final round," read the Times. "People familiar with the matter say Rumayyan's embarrassment at the sequence of events helped lead to his decision to pull the plug on PIF's financing of the rival tour, as the fund focuses more on its huge domestic commitments in the kingdom."
Now, one's first thought is likely that many factors led the PIF to pull its funding from LIV, which has consistently lost money amid poor ratings and bad PR since its brief moment in the sun. However, when you look at the timing of everything, it kinda checks out.
Garcia's meltdown, which included him slamming his driver in frustration, tearing out chunks of grass, and breaking it against a cooler, took place on Sunday, April 12, the final day of the 2026 Masters.
#final
That's the claim in Friday's edition of The Financial Times.
"In April, as LIV golfers floundered at the Masters, golf's most prestigious tournament, Spanish star Sergio Garcia damaged the Augusta National course during a fit of rage in the final round," read the Times. "People familiar with the matter say Rumayyan's embarrassment at the sequence of events helped lead to his decision to pull the plug on PIF's financing of the rival tour, as the fund focuses more on its huge domestic commitments in the kingdom."
Now, one's first thought is likely that many factors led the PIF to pull its funding from LIV, which has consistently lost money amid poor ratings and bad PR since its brief moment in the sun. However, when you look at the timing of everything, it kinda checks out.
Garcia's meltdown, which included him slamming his driver in frustration, tearing out chunks of grass, and breaking it against a cooler, took place on Sunday, April 12, the final day of the 2026 Masters.
#final
2 months ago