LIV Golf gives up on unique approach that helped | Golf News

LIV Golf has revealed a dramatic shift to a standard 72-hole format, despite initially selling itself as a three-round competitors. The Saudi-funded tour lured some of golf’s largest stars after launching in 2022, with gamers including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka inking offers valued at over $100 million.

But with many of these contracts approaching expiration, LIV Golf is coming into a contemporary chapter. From its launch, LIV Golf positioned itself as a disruptive challenger to the PGA Tour, offering what appeared to be superior situations for rivals. extremely doubtless high-value contracts, fewer tournaments, staff competitors, and three-round occasions had been promoted as basic options of this revolutionary enterprise.

Every LIV Golf event has been performed across three days, operating Friday to Sunday, spanning 54 holes. The construction was marketed as higher-pressure, with one fewer spherical, that means rivals had 18 fewer holes to get well from a weak opening, requiring strong efficiency immediately.

During the 2025 LIV Golf Miami event, DeChambeau praised the format, explaining to the media: “Every shot matters more here at LIV, because if you make a double or triple, you’re so far behind the eight-ball that it’s tough to get back… that fast start allows us to be in the attack mindset, which has helped us in certain scenarios.

“Obviously, when you are at a U.S. Open or a British Open, where excessive endurance is required, it is a little bit of a change, but for the most half, it is undoubtedly helped.”

However, the Crushers GC captain has now reversed his earlier stance following the announcement that LIV Golf will adopt four-round tournaments. He stated: “Everyone needs to see the best gamers in the world competing against each other, particularly in the majors, and for the nice of the sport, we need a path ahead.”

“By shifting to 72 holes, LIV Golf is taking a proactive step to align with the historic format acknowledged globally. This is a implausible evolution of the LIV Golf product, exhibiting how our League listens and adapts to create the best doable expertise.”

The transition to 72 holes will be implemented across all regular-season tournaments, with the team competition continuing to run alongside. The signature shotgun starts that have become synonymous with LIV Golf’s brand will remain in place.

“As we enter our fourth season as a League, the transfer to 72 holes marks a pivotal new chapter for LIV Golf that strengthens our League, challenges our elite subject of gamers, and delivers more of the world-class golf, power, innovation, and access that our global viewers needs,” LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said.

“We’re seeing upward momentum and traction from Hong Kong to Adelaide to Indianapolis, and that heightened curiosity opens the door to add another day of golf while benefiting our followers, gamers, advertising companions, and our global media companions.

“The most successful leagues around the world – IPL, EPL, NBA, MLB, NFL – continue to innovate and evolve their product, and as an emerging league, we are no different. LIV Golf will always have an eye toward progress that acts in the best interest of LIV Golf and in the best interest of the sport.”