The PGA Tour dominated LIV Golf in 2025.
They had far better viewership figures, didn’t lose any of their big names to LIV during the offseason, and all four of the major championships were won by PGA Tour players.
Only three LIV players featured at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, further demonstrating how much more success PGA Tour players were having than their LIV Golf counterparts.
But LIV made changes this offseason to amend this, and judging by early-season form, they may be about to turn the tide at Augusta National.
LIV Golf players more likely to win The Masters than PGA Tour stars
Their players’ form at majors last year was so concerning that LIV moved away from its identity as a 54-hole league towards a more traditional 72-hole format, as used at major championships.
This was a move that Jon Rahm had been calling for, and under the new format, he’s been thriving. He won his first LIV event since 2024, and through four events, he has three top-two finishes and has been in the top five at every tournament.
Over 72-holes, no one has been better than Rahm, and that leaves him far better prepared for Augusta than he has been in recent years.
And despite a poor start to the season, the same now goes for Bryson DeChambeau. He won LIV Singapore in his penultimate event before The Masters, and after falling on the final round of last year’s event, now he’ll back himself to win his first Green Jacket this year.
Meanwhile, the PGA Tour’s brightest stars have started the season slowly. Scottie Scheffler did win the American Express, but his form has faltered since then, and he’s been largely uncompetitive for a month.
Rory McIlroy hasn’t been much better. He’s winless so far this season and is struggling with a back injury, and finished T46 at The Players.
All signs point towards The Masters being a roaring success for LIV Golf over the PGA Tour.
What Masters success would mean for LIV Golf
A concerning trend for LIV Golf has been the significant decline in its players’ performances in recent seasons. Before joining LIV, Rahm looked to be the player who would challenge Scheffler for the title of best player on the planet, but he was winless last season.
Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson are among the stars who have seen their careers stall since signing with the Saudi-backed league, and only at The Masters did it look like a LIV player would win a major. To make matters worse, Koepka has returned to form since leaving.
This clearly impacted their ability to recruit players last offseason. No one of note, not even Si Woo Kim, was willing to take LIV’s eye-popping money while risking their form for the rest of their career. It was a place where form goes to die.
But LIV’s stars have a chance to prove that they can still compete on the major stage thanks to this new format change, so if Rahm or DeChambeau were to achieve Masters glory this year, it could be a saving grace for the tour.
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