Annika Sorenstam told Fox News Digital she believes LIV Golf “interrupted the game of golf,” and that interruption forced rapid responses across the professional game. Annika Sorenstam framed the arrival of LIV, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, as a disruptive moment that accelerated changes on the PGA Tour and prompted debate about sustainability and opportunity.
What Annika Sorenstam said
Sorenstam described LIV as having both positive and problematic effects. “I mean overall, I think it had some positives but overall I think, you know, not really changed too much,” she told Fox News Digital, while adding that “it certainly interrupted the game of golf.”
She emphasized that the interruption was a catalyst. “I think that’s why we’re seeing the changes on the PGA Tour,” Sorenstam said, linking the emergence of LIV to the Tour’s recent format experiments and commercial shifts. She also expressed skepticism about whether LIV’s underlying business model is sustainable: “I don’t think anybody thought it was a great business model,” she said.
Sorenstam acknowledged the immediate benefit players felt when purses rose. “The purses have gone up which obviously is great for the players,” she said, but cautioned that higher prize money doesn’t automatically translate into long-term structural health for leagues and development pathways.
PIF exit and LIV Golf outlook
The Saudi Public Investment Fund has said it will end its financial backing of LIV Golf at the close of the 2026 season. That timetable, Sorenstam noted, leaves the circuit’s future uncertain and places a premium on commercial deals, sponsorships and media rights if LIV is to continue in any form beyond PIF support.
“So interesting to see how it folds. This year will be certainly telling,” Sorenstam told Fox News Digital, observing that player movement and sponsor signals will provide early clues about viability. Her comments frame the PIF decision as a turning point rather than a definitive endpoint.
Industry observers will be tracking whether teams, event promoters or media partners step in, or whether certain elements of the LIV model are absorbed into existing tours. Sorenstam’s perspective stresses that money can change incentives quickly, but long-term ecosystems require more than short bursts of capital.
How the PGA Tour responded
Sorenstam sees a direct connection between LIV’s market entry and PGA Tour changes, though she frames that link as her assessment rather than an uncontested fact. “I think that’s why we’re seeing the changes on the PGA Tour,” she said, pointing to format experiments and scheduling shifts designed to retain top players and fan interest.
She highlighted how rising purses and new event concepts affect players’ decisions. Greater prize money has altered scheduling and bargaining leverage for players, while alternative formats — including team events and condensed-season proposals — reflect a Tour trying to respond to competitive pressure and audience trends.
At the same time, Sorenstam cautioned that rapid change can create instability. She urged stakeholders to focus on sustainable growth that benefits player development, tournament integrity and the long-term fan base.
Sorenstam at the American Century Championship
Sorenstam will play the American Century Championship at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe from July 10-12. The celebrity event uses a Stableford scoring format that encourages aggressive shot-making and spectator-friendly play, she said.
The tournament will be televised on NBC and Peacock, giving viewers a chance to see Sorenstam compete outside the LPGA standard tour format. She said she plans to use the platform to draw attention to the Annika Foundation and its youth programs.
“We try to empower and advance young women through the game of golf, but also in life, different life skills,” Sorenstam told Fox News Digital, summarizing the foundation’s dual focus on golf instruction and mentorship.
What this means for players and women’s golf
Sorenstam argued the ripple effects of LIV and PGA Tour changes extend beyond the men’s game. Increased money and attention can lift visibility for golf generally, which may create downstream benefits for the LPGA and junior development programs.
She said those benefits are conditional. If resources and partnerships translate into sustained investment in coaching, competition pathways and scholarships, young players could see clearer routes to professional careers. But if funding is short-term or driven mainly by spectacle, the long-term development pipeline may not benefit as much.
From Sorenstam’s perspective, the most valuable outcomes would be more opportunities for girls to access quality instruction and competitive play, plus life skills programming through initiatives like the Annika Foundation.
Context and next steps
With the PIF exit planned for the end of 2026, the coming season is likely to feature intensified competition for players, sponsors and media deals. How LIV adapts — or whether pieces of the operation are restructured or integrated — will determine the pace and shape of further changes.
Sorenstam’s remarks, as reported by Fox News Digital, offer a player-focused reading of that uncertainty: she welcomed the increased investment in the sport, questioned the sustainability of LIV’s model, and urged that attention be turned to long-term development, especially for women and juniors.
Source: Fox News
