LIV Golf made a big change Tuesday, announcing the league will move from three-day, 54-hole tournaments to more standard four-day, 72-hole tournaments starting with the 2026 season. The move comes after LIV Golf previously announced. Add a spot to a qualifying event The tour’s roster will expand to 56 players, potentially including a 14th team.
Since its inception, LIV Golf has sought approval from the Official World Golf Ranking, an established authority and sanctioning body, for tournament results to count as points earning opportunities for league players. OWGR rejected this, citing the irregularity of the 54-hole format compared to other tours they are aware of.
By increasing field size and expanding tournaments to 72 holes, LIV Golf appears to be checking off the boxes needed to get OWGR points approved, an important step as the league faces contract negotiations with many of its top stars who are running out of time on their initial contracts.
Since OWGR points are the primary way golfers qualify for major championships, there were limited ways for LIV golf players to collect these points.
At the same time, LIV Golf will be removing one of its unique sales propositions. In its early years, LIV Golf promoted different games than the PGA Tour in a number of areas, one of which was the shorter format.
The move drew support from LIV Golf’s top players, including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.
“This is a win for our league and our players,” Rahm said in a statement. “LIV Golf is a league of players. We are competitors at heart and want every opportunity to compete at the highest level and perfect our craft. Moving to 72 holes is the logical next step to strengthen our competition and test us more fully, and if the gallery increase from last season is any indication, we will give our fans even more of what they want.”
“Everyone wants to see the best players in the world compete, especially in the majors. There has to be a path forward to make the game better,” DeChambeau said. “With the move to 72 holes, LIV Golf is taking a proactive step to align with a historic, globally recognized format. This is a great evolution of the LIV Golf product and shows how our league is listening and adapting to create the best experience possible.”
LIV golf tournaments, like PGA Tour and DP World Tour events, begin on Thursdays instead of Fridays.
