LIV Golf faces $60M legal challenge over league format

LONDON: LIV Golf is named in a lawsuit that claims it copied its format from the Premier Golf League and could face an eight-figure settlement, The Times of London reported on Thursday.

The Premier Golf League was a forerunner to LIV as a potential disruptor of the world of men’s golf. It was incorporated in 2019, though the league existed as an idea long before.

PGL’s founder, British former corporate finance lawyer Andrew Gardiner, said he had discussed the league with Saudi investors before Golf Saudi -- a subsidiary of the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund -- pivoted and financed its own league, which became LIV Golf.

Gardiner’s vision was to create a breakaway golf league that had the world’s most elite players compete in 54-hole tournaments, with shotgun starts and no cuts -- all of which became implemented by LIV.

The PGL originally sought $60 million from LIV Golf, according to the Times, but the league has told its lawyers to seek a resolution out of court -- a settlement estimated to be in excess of $12.6 million.