The English companies that claim they first conceived the idea of a world golf league are seeking between $210 million and $630 million in damages from LIV Golf, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and other individuals and entities, according to court records obtained by ESPN.

The lawsuit, which was filed by lawyers representing the World Golf Group (WGG) and Premier Golf League (PGL), accuses LIV Golf, the PIF, Golf Saudi and other defendants of breach of confidence and unlawful means conspiracy.

LIV Golf did not respond to a request for comment.

Two former World Golf Group founders, Richard Marsh and Jed Moore, are accused of breach of fiduciary duty for helping the Saudis launch LIV Golf in June 2022.

“The Claimants conceived the idea for a new golf league called the Premier Golf League,” the complaint says. “Over the course of several years, the Claimants refined the format of this league and produced business plans, contracts, financial models and other intellectual property belonging to the Claimants, which provided the blueprint for its launch and success.

“The Defendants conspired together to use the Claimants’ confidential information without the permission of the Claimants to launch the LIV Golf League.”

The complaint hasn’t been publicly available since it was filed in Commercial Court in London on April 16.

ESPN obtained a copy of the lawsuit and verified its authenticity through two sources familiar with the case.

The complaint alleges the LIV Golf League is a “bald facsimile of the PGL,” from its shotgun starts, 54-hole events (LIV Golf has since changed to 72 holes), golfers competing in individual and team competitions simultaneously, knockout rounds in team championships and franchises with four golfers, including a captain.

The complaint alleges that Andy Gardiner conceived the idea of a world golf league in the summer of 2009. He initially planned to call it the Tour de Force World Championship. Gardiner established a previous company, Mayen Limited, four years later, and then brought on Marsh as a consultant in 2016.

The next year, Gardiner met Moore, a director at Performance 54, a prominent international sports marketing and strategic consultancy.

The three men were among 30 founders of the World Golf Group, which was launched in March 2018, the lawsuit states.

In August 2018, the Raine Group, a global merchant bank, agreed to provide $100 million in stages to fund the startup costs and working capital, according to the claim.

The plaintiffs allege that, while working as an operating consultant ahead of the 2019 Saudi International golf tournament, Moore was introduced to Golf Saudi CEO Majed Al Sorour.

Moore and Gardiner met with PIF Gov. Yasir Al-Rumayyan at that tournament and discussed the sovereign wealth fund potentially investing in the PGL, and the lawsuit states that Al Sorour and PIF representatives were later given access to an online data room that allowed potential stakeholders and funding partners access to confidential materials such as business plans, promotional materials, operational guides, financial models, evaluations and golfer contracts.

On Nov. 13, 2019, the PGL reached a term sheet with Raine Mulligan Co. that would provide $1 billion for 40% of shares in the new league. The PIF would fund $490 million of that money in return for 49% of Raine Mulligan’s capital, according to the documents.

Two weeks later, Al-Rumayyan signed a nonbinding letter of intent confirming the PIF’s intention to fund $490 million, the complaint said.

The funding would only be delivered if the PGL secured elite golfers.

Over the next several months, representatives of the PGL, Raine Group and the PIF met with several PGA Tour golfers and their agents, including Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Patrick Reed and Adam Scott, the plaintiffs say.

Under pressure from the PIF and Raine Group, WGG agreed to reduce its shareholding capital from 60% to 10% in June 2020.

That same month, contract offers were made to 11 top golfers.

“The Claimants, PIF, Golf Saudi and Raine became aware, however, that the players were reluctant to sign,” the lawsuit said. “This was due to the following: first, threats made by the PGA Tour that players participating in the PGL would be banned; and second, players’ concerns that participation in the PGL would not earn them Official World Golf Ranking points.”

The lawsuit said the PGL pursued a collaboration with the DP World Tour, which would create a “safe haven” for golfers banned by the PGA Tour and give them a way to earn OWGR points.

In October 2020, the claim says, the DP World Tour board met to discuss if the tour should sanction PGL events, allow suspended PGA Tour golfers to play in its tournaments and “collaborate, launch and manage the PGL.”

Instead, the DP World Tour and PGA Tour announced the next month that they had formed a strategic partnership in which the PGA Tour would purchase a minority stake in the European circuit’s production company, the lawsuit alleges.

Following that announcement, the lawsuit alleges, plaintiffs say, the PIF turned its attention to buying the PGL.

“Al-Rumayyan communicated to Moore and Al-Sorour that he ‘wanted to teach the tours a lesson’ (or worlds materially to that effect) and would be willing to spend billions of dollars to defeat the PGA Tour and launch the PGL, but that he wanted full control of the Claimants and/or their business,” the lawsuit said.

Initially, Marsh informed Al-Sorour that PGL needed $70 million and 10% equity in the new Saudi super league to be “made whole.”

“Mr. Al-Sorour accepted that the Claimants had valuable intellectual property, personnel and experience that would be acquired in return for a financial amount and/or equity in the ‘golf enterprise,’ and that the Claimants would not be cut out,” the lawsuit said.

The PGL later suggested that it needed $55 million or $35 million to complete the deal; the PIF countered at about $5 million and 1% equity in its new golf league.

Once news of the PIF’s plans began to circulate in the golf world, Al-Sorour emailed Marsh and Gardner, asking if they wanted to be involved.

“As our golf enterprise gathers pace, we wanted to check whether WGG, you and your team would like to participate as outlined,” the email said, according to the lawsuit. “We value the skill sets that we believe you and your team would add working alongside our team of experts.”

The plaintiffs say Gardiner responded and reminded Al-Sorour of the confidential terms of their past dealings.

Marsh resigned from the PGL and joined the Saudis on May 24, 2021.

The Saudis rejected the PGL’s asking price the next month.

With the help of Mickelson and former major champion Greg Norman, LIV Golf recruited several top golfers, including Rahm, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, with guaranteed contracts worth more than $100 million and purses of $25 million.

LIV Golf played its first tournament in June 2022.

The PIF invested more than $5 billion into LIV Golf before announcing April 30 that it would no longer fund the breakaway circuit.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil is attempting to raise $300 million to keep the venture going beyond this season.