April 28 (Reuters) - The LIV Golf event scheduled to be played in Louisiana in June has been postponed, state officials said on Tuesday.
News of the postponement comes less than two weeks after LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said the breakaway circuit's 2026 season would proceed as planned amid reports that the series was at risk of losing its funding.
The announcement comes a day after sources with knowledge of LIV Golf operations told Reuters the event may be postponed due toconcerns the soccer World Cup could impact attendances and viewership, while issues such as high temperatures and course condition were also factors.
Governor Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said in a joint statement that the state had already paid $3.2 million under its contract with LIV Golf, of which $2 million has already been invested in upgrades for the Bayou Oaks at City Park course that was scheduled to host the event from June 25-28.
They also said the Saudi-funded circuit was expected to return the remaining $1.2 million in state incentive funds.
"We appreciate LIV’s good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year," Landry and Bourgeois said.
According to the statement, Bourgeoisspoke with O’Neil last Friday and was informed the organisation was looking to postpone the New Orleans tournament to explore a potential event this fall.
In a separate statement, LIV Golf said it was a "strategic" decision to explore moving the event to later in the year.
"This shift allows us to avoid the peak summer heat and the crowded global sports calendar while ensuring the course is in the championship condition our fans and players expect," said LIV Golf.
"We are grateful for the continued partnership and flexibility of the state of Louisiana as we work together to deliver a world-class debut this fall.
"Our team is focused on maintaining the strong momentum of the 2026 season and we look forward to sharing finalized dates in the near future."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Toby Davis)
