LIV doesn't have a controlling interest in professional golf. The PIF does. LIV, as we know it, may not even continue beyond this year if you believe some of the reports.
If you want to view LIVs "success" through the prism that it helped the PIF get what they really wanted, a bite at the PGA/DP tour apples, yes, LIV was absolutely successful as a conduit towards to that goal. But not because of what LIV was doing or their concept, but because they were funded by a group with bottomless barrels of cash and willing to throw it around for a few years.
But LIV, the concept, was not successful. Ratings were poor, even streaming numbers. It got so bad LIV just decided to stop reporting numbers. Attendance figures often lagged behind even lower level PGA Tour events. Last year, LIVs attorneys admitted in court that revenues where pretty much non-existent, especially relative what LIV had spent. Even their TV deal wasn't a great windfall as while they shared in ad revenue with the CW from their events, LIV had to cover every cost of producing that telecast themselves - equipment, commentators, infrastructure, etc. They were losing money left and right.
I saw one pro-LIV report sum it up best when he associated LIV Golf with nothing more than a loss leader. The PIF was going to throw money for a time to make it actually a profitable entity or use it as leverage to get at the bigger prize - the PGAT, it's TV, it's sponsors, etc.
The PGA wasn't afraid of LIV. The PGA was afraid of the PIF's money.