NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LIV Golf is working with Louisiana state officials to move its inaugural June tournament in New Orleans to the fall.
People familiar with knowledge of LIV Golf’s operations told The Associated Press that officials have been working with the Louisiana governor’s office on new timing in September or October to avoid peak summer heat, ensure the course is in “championship-caliber” condition and avoid viewer conflicts with soccer's World
Cup.
They spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because state officials were not expected to address the matter publicly until Tuesday.
New Orleans television station WDSU was the first to report Monday that the June 25-28 event at Bayou Oaks at City Park was expected to be moved to later in the year.
That would mean LIV Golf would not have any tournaments in the United States for a three-month period from northern Virginia on May 7-10 at Trump National until the Aug. 6-9 tournament at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey.
The development comes two weeks after LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil assured staff and players that the season would continue “uninterrupted and at full throttle.” O'Neil was responding to speculation the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia would no longer provide financial support to a league that already has spenr more than $5 billion since it began in 2022.
New Orleans is not hosting any World Cup matches.
Louisiana officials said last August when the tournament was announced that they had agreed to pay LIV Golf $5 million and spend an additional $2.2 million on improvements to the Bayou Oaks course.
WDSU reported Louisiana will be repaid $1 million, which the state had already paid to LIV in advance of the tournament.
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