LIV cancels Michigan stop, to end season in Indy

The LIV Golf League confirmed Monday that its scheduled individual and team championship, which was set to be played in Michigan later this month, has been canceled, meaning this week's tournament outside of Indianapolis will be the final event of the season. There had been speculation for weeks that the season-ending championship, which was scheduled for Aug. 27-30 at The Cardinal at Saint John's in Plymouth, Michigan, wouldn't be played as the struggling circuit tries to cut financial costs. "By concluding the season now, we can put our full resources behind what comes next and maintain the operational rigor this transition demands," LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said in a statement Monday. "We are reimagining LIV Golf as a fundamentally new league owned by the players and anchored in a sustainable business model, with an evolved fan experience built for the markets where the game is growing fastest across the globe and the support of world-class partners." The league also said that previously announced concerts featuring country singer Thomas Rhett and Disco Lines have been cancelled at this week's tournament, which tees off Thursday at The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, Indiana. "LIV Golf recognizes the disappointment these changes may bring for fans, local stakeholders, Thomas Rhett and Disco Lines, and appreciates the significant time and effort invested by the artists and their teams," LIV Golf said in the statement. On Aug. 5, O'Neil announced LIV Golf had secured funding from an outside investor that he said will keep the circuit alive beyond this season. He didn't identify the investor or how much money will be injected into the league, but LIV Golf said it hoped to finalize terms in the coming weeks and close the transaction in September. O'Neil is seeking $250 million to $300 million to keep the league alive after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund announced April 30 that it would no longer finance it. The PIF reportedly spent more than $5 billion funding the league over the past five seasons. The new version of the breakaway circuit will make golfers the majority equity holders in LIV Golf, which O'Neil said is a first for a major global sports league. "As we concentrate on finishing the season strong and building the next chapter of LIV Golf, we'll carry the energy and enthusiasm our fans have shown us into what comes next," O'Neil said in Monday's statement. "The road ahead is possible because of the people who stand behind this league -- our fans, players, caddies, employees, partners, and sponsors."