A $200 billion technology giant is officially trying to pull the plug on its partnership with LIV Golf, dropping a legal bomb just as the league fights for its life in bankruptcy court. On October 29, Salesforce Inc. submitted a request to a New Jersey bankruptcy judge demanding LIV immediately decide whether to accept or reject their sponsorship deal. This move comes right after the Saudi-backed league filed for Chapter 11 protection in September and watched huge names like Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia bail. Talk about a one-two punch that could be lights out for LIV.
Salesforce Says LIV Golf’s AI Promises Were All Hype
Salesforce is not holding back, claiming LIV totally failed to deliver on the artificial intelligence benefits that were the whole reason for their multi-year deal, which was supposed to run through 2029. This isn’t just some small dispute, either. It centers on a digital rollout that was apparently so botched it left fans with a broken experience instead of the high-tech future LIV promised. According to documents shared by Financial Times’ Sujeet Indap, Salesforce argues that LIV just didn’t build the necessary infrastructure to make their AI tools work during live events. Imagine the frustration! The filing explicitly states that the Agentforce chatbot “displayed errors instead of providing the intended fan experience.” Ouch.
Salesforce is pointing fingers directly at LIV’s inability to “build the dynamic pre-reasoning action lookup required for the artificial-intelligence agent’s geolocation functionality.” Instead of proper software, the league apparently relied on “manual and hardcoded workarounds, including hardcoding a tournament location.” This technical meltdown meant fans had to leave the league’s own native mobile app just to watch anything. That’s not just a bad look, that’s a user experience nightmare that could torpedo any tech-focused partnership.
Garcia Joins the Exodus and Sets His Sights on Augusta
As if the legal drama wasn’t enough, the star power is literally walking out the door. Sergio Garcia, the 46-year-old Spaniard and former Masters champion, confirmed on social media that he’s not coming back to LIV. Since he jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV in 2022, Garcia was even the captain of the Fireballs GC team. He snagged two LIV victories, winning in Spain in 2024 and Hong Kong in 2025. But his 2026 campaign only saw a second-place finish in Virginia this past May.
Garcia’s decision isn’t an isolated incident, either. It’s part of a much bigger trend as the league struggles to stay afloat without the full backing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Alongside Garcia, we’re seeing Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, and Louis Oosthuizen also not returning for 2027. Garcia told The Japan Times that he’s now open to playing on the PGA Tour again. “This tour has been a huge part of my career from the very beginning, and I’m proud to call it home again,” he posted, according to the Women’s Golf Journal. He’s also talking about strengthening personal relationships and building a stronger mental game before getting back to major competition. The Women’s Golf Journal reported Garcia is specifically looking ahead to the 2027 Masters. He even admitted his conduct at Augusta in 2026 left him disappointed after he damaged a tee box and smashed his driver. “There are some great tournaments around the world to play before Augusta next April, and I can’t wait to get back to the Masters,” Garcia wrote. He wants to show everyone what he’s learned since that incident, adding, “In golf, everything is earned and nothing is given.”
“Let’s get to work,” Garcia posted on X last Thursday, October 29. The Spaniard clearly sees the upcoming season as his shot to qualify for the Ryder Cup team and compete for another Green Jacket. But for LIV Golf, the clock is ticking on that Salesforce deal. Can they fix their tech issues and find new stars, or is this the beginning of the end? We’ll be watching to see if LIV can even make it to the next season, let alone deliver on any future high-tech promises.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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