Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth Loses £150million investment windfall as Team Falls Short in Final!”

Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and a host of A-list investors were left disappointed on Sunday as Leeds United fell short in the Championship play-off final against Southampton at Wembley. Adam Armstrong’s first-half goal secured a victory for the Saints, earning them promotion to the Premier League next season and a windfall of around £150 million in revenue and broadcast income.

Leeds United, who finished third in the regular season, were unable to overcome a resilient Southampton defense under the guidance of their manager Daniel Farke. This underwhelming performance means Leeds will spend a second consecutive season in the Championship, needing to regroup after failing to capitalize on their big opportunity.

This outcome is a significant setback for Leeds’ owners, 49ers Enterprises Global—a consortium led by the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers with various celebrities as minor investors. The 49ers group completed a £170 million takeover from former owner Andrea Radrizzani last year.

Among the investors are golf stars Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, actors Will Ferrell and Russell Crowe, and Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps. Thomas revealed his interest in Leeds was sparked by Billy Foster, the caddie for 2022 US Open winner Matthew Fitzpatrick and a devoted Leeds fan.

“Billy and I have grown closer over the past year, and he’s shared a lot of insight and videos from Leeds games,” Thomas said ahead of the PGA Championship in Kentucky last week. He was pleased that his tee times allowed him to watch Leeds’ playoff semi-final victory over Norwich City at Elland Road.

Spieth, who invested last year, shared his thoughts with Sky Sports: “Relegation wasn’t ideal, but we joined the 49ers group because it seemed like a cool opportunity. Leeds is a big city with a historic club and a fantastic venue at Elland Road. Despite relegation, we renegotiated and decided to go ahead. It’s become a better deal if we get promoted soon.”

Spieth added, “I’m excited to be emotionally invested in a team. I’ve followed the Premier League closely for years. For now, it’s Championship soccer, but we aim for Premier League soon.”