Jon Rahm (center) celebrates on the podium after winning the LIV Golf United Kingdom event in Rocester, England, in July 2024. Joaquin Niemann (far left) finished second, and Cameron Smith (far right) was third. | REUTERS

Riyadh – Throwing more than $5 billion at a divisive new tour and walking away after five seasons does not look like good business, but LIV Golf was not all bad news for Saudi Arabia.

Oil-funded LIV, which poached top stars and sent golf's establishment into a tailspin, helped push the conservative kingdom into the global view — one of its key aims, experts say.

They said the exit, confirmed on Thursday after weeks of speculation, does not signal a flight of Saudi money from sports, even after the Middle East war that sparked Iranian attacks around the Gulf.

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