LIV Abandons Part Of Its Core Identity

LIV Golf in 2026 will abandon its signature 54-hole format in favor of the 72-hole play used by most worldwide tours and the Majors.

The change is an interesting turnaround, considering that 54 is baked into the league’s very name (LIV is “54” in Roman numerals). The three-round events were part of what LIV said made it different — and better.

The players who said they wanted to play less golf for more money now are playing nearly as much with zero say in their own schedule. The “more money” part remains true, I guess.

The shotgun starts will remain — for now. I’ve been to a LIV tournament. That’s the part I liked least.

An obvious conclusion is that LIV had to make the change to 72 holes to get its members the Official World Golf Ranking points necessary for qualification into the Majors — and for bragging rights. At this point — in spite of the LIV Bots’ insistence that LIV “has all the best players,” there simply is no way to tell.

More spots on the teams also will be opened through relegation and promotion. That surely is designed to combat the problem (for OWGR points) that LIV is a closed loop.

LIV’s press release, of course, puts a very positive spin on the change — as though it was somehow the plan all along.

“As we enter our fourth season as a League, the move to 72 holes marks a pivotal new chapter for LIV Golf that strengthens our League, challenges our elite field of players, and delivers more of the world-class golf, energy, innovation and access that our global audience wants. We’re seeing upward momentum and traction from Hong Kong to Adelaide to Indianapolis, and that heightened interest opens the door to add another day of golf while benefiting our fans, players, marketing partners, and our global media partners,” said Scott O’Neil, LIV Golf CEO.  

That’s some serious corporate doublespeak right there.

However, this positivity flies in the face of reports that the Saudi backed league has lost $1.4 billion since 2022. Just as troubling for the league is that — even when on the main FOX broadcast channel — it draws just one sixth as many eyeballs as the PGA TOUR.

I attended the LIV Michigan tournament this past summer, and thought it was a well-planned and well-executed event. I don’t think it was as well-attended as the PGA TOUR events I have been to, but since no one releases official gate receipts (PGAT or LIV) there is no way to know.

My lasting impression from covering the LIV Michigan event is that it was a lot like a state or county fair. While the official purpose of a county fair is to show off livestock and produce, most people are there for the carnival, food and music. I’ll bet less than a third of the people at a county fair spend any significant amount of time watching the parade and auction of cows and pigs.

While many were surely at LIV Michigan to watch quality golf, my sense was that far more were there for the party. Golf was the excuse for food, drink, carnival games (there was a whole fan participation midway) and music — including concerts by Imagine Dragons and Swedish House Mafia.

I wonder if LIV can sustain the party atmosphere over four days. And — as OWGR points and relegation now are at stake — whether the tournaments also will become less of a lark.

I predict the shotgun start is next to go as LIV tries to gain a television audience and respect.