LIV Golf has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by Ohio-based golf tee manufacturer Stinger Golf.
The dispute centred on the former Stinger GC team name, which LIV used from the launch of the breakaway league in 2022 until the team was rebranded as Southern Guards GC in January 2026.
LIV Golf settles trademark dispute
Stinger Golf had originally sued LIV for $100 million in June 2025, alleging that the league knowingly used its trademark without permission.
According to a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the company accepted a $1 million settlement from LIV earlier this month.
Chris McKee@mrmckee"Obviously $1 million doesn't represent all the damages that our client suffered," said attorney Brian Barakat, whose firm represented Stinger Golf.
"What LIV did in this circumstance was pretty gross. We know that they knew long before they set up the Stinger Golf Club team that they were aware of our trademark, and they just decided that they didn't care."
Stinger Golf sells golf tees through retail outlets across the United States and online.
LIV Golf Bankruptcy concerns influenced decision
Barakat said the company agreed to the reduced settlement because of concerns that LIV could enter bankruptcy proceedings.
"They bowed to the realities of this situation and made a compromise that made business sense for them," he said.
"We were very confident to go to trial. It wasn't a compromise based on any fear of losing the case. It was a compromise based on what we viewed as an imminent bankruptcy."
The Southern Guards GC team is made up of some of South Africa's greatest golfers like Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester.
LIV, World Wide Golf Brands, a former apparel partner of the league, and the Stinger GC team were all listed as defendants in the lawsuit. However, the settlement agreement states that LIV Golf will be the only party making payments to Stinger Golf.
The case is another off-course challenge for LIV during a turbulent 2026 season, with the league continuing to deal with questions surrounding its long-term financial position.
