LIV Golf rumors shut down in statement after Tour | Golf News

Wentworth, the esteemed golf membership, has categorically denied being “for sale” in response to allegations made by a DP World Tour participant that it was in talks with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), which backs LIV Golf.

Eddie Pepperell instructed on his Chipping Forecast podcast that the membership was negotiating with the PIF over the sale of the course, which hosts the DP World Tour’s premier occasion, the BMW PGA Championship.

In 2014, Wentworth was bought to Thai-Chinese investment firm, the Reignwood Group, for $175million. The membership has now dismissed Pepperell’s declare, issuing a statement to Golf Monthly.

“Wentworth Club can today confirm that these rumours are unfounded,” the statement learn. “Wentworth Club is not for sale. There have been numerous expressions of interest in buying Wentworth post-COVID, but Reignwood is committed to its position of long-term investment in the asset.”

Wentworth additional clarified that there has “not been any direct dialogue between Reignwood and PIF, nor is the ownership group seeking investment with the club ‘in good financial status'”.

Reignwood maintains that the membership is “an important asset” in its international portfolio of golf programs, studies the Mirror. The statement concluded: “There has always been global interest coming directly or through agencies with expressions of interest in purchasing the club.

“Wentworth Club just isn’t for sale, the Reignwood Group is dedicated to the membership’s future and is worked up in regards to the imminent launch of the reimagined and restored East Course in addition to the new state-of-the-art golf academy.”

LIV Golf, powered by PIF’s deep coffers, made waves in 2022 by pulling top-notch talent such as Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka from the PGA Tour; Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton joined soon after, signing lucrative deals.

In May, LIV’s commissioner and CEO, multiple major champion Greg Norman, shared that LIV is pondering a similar approach to the PGA Tour, which possesses numerous venues under its TPC banner, like TPC Sawgrass where The Players Championship is held.

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Norman pointed out, “Man United owns their stadium. Indian Premier League, they own their stadiums. NFL, they own their stadiums,” as he unveiled ambitions for LIV Golf to own its course, ascribing homes to specific teams.

“You convey in training, hospitality, real estate, merchandise, management, and all these different completely different alternatives that the sport of golf has to ship to a group or to a area. We are going to be doing that.”

However, if LIV Golf is eyeing Wentworth as its subsequent venue, it appears the Saudi-backed league could also be in for a letdown and should look elsewhere for a UK base. The most up-to-date occasion in England was held at JCB Golf and Country Club in Staffordshire in July.

This yr’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth ended in an thrilling finale, with Billy Horschel defeating Rory McIlroy with an eagle on the second playoff gap to clinch his second win in the event.