LIV Golf switching to 72-hole tournaments with 2026 season

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The change comes as the league enters its fourth season and seeks to evolve its product.
Players like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau have expressed support for the move to the traditional 72-hole format.

LIV Golf is ditching its 54-hole format for the normal 72-hole competition beginning in 2026.

Since its start in 2023, LIV Golf events have featured a three-day, 54-hole competition, usually Friday through Sunday. In 2026, all events will be played over four days, usually beginning on Thursday and ending on Sunday. One exception: LIV Golf Riyadh will start on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

New LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, who replaced Greg Norman in that role this year, explained the switch in a press release.

“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,” O’Neil said. ”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.

“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 towards progress that acts in the best interest of LIV Golf and in the best interest of the sport.”  

The news of the format change follows an off-season of uncertainty for LIV Golf:

The Athletic recently reported that LIV Golf Ltd, the United Kingdom-based entity that manages the golf league’s activities outside of the United States, lost $590.1 million in 2024.
LIV continues to struggle to gain TV ratings in the U.S. The Sports Business Journal reported the highest U.S. TV rating for LIV in 2025 was 484,000 in the final round of LIV Miami at Doral on Fox. That same day, the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open on NBC drew 2.1 million.
And LIV and the PGA Tour negotiations remain on hold after meetings earlier this year with President Donald Trump and leaders of the two rival golf organizations went nowhere.

Under the new format, individual competition will be decided over 72 holes of stroke play, while the team competition will continue to run concurrently, with each team’s cumulative individual stroke play scores determining the team’s result. The format for the season-ending Team Championship will be announced at a later date.

Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau both like playing 72 holes

“This is a win for the League, and the players,” said Jon Rahm, Legion XIII captainand the two-time reigning individual champion. “LIV Golf is a player’s league. We are competitors to the core and we want every opportunity to compete at the highest level and to perfect our craft. Moving to 72 holes is the logical next step that strengthens the competition, tests us more fully, and if the growing galleries from last season are any indication, delivers more of what the fans want.”

Bryson DeChambeau, Crushers CG captain, said it was time to move forward.

“By moving to 72 holes, LIV Golf is taking a proactive step to align with the historic format recognized globally,” he said. “This is a fantastic evolution of the LIV Golf product, showing how our League listens and adapts to create the best possible experience.”