LIV Golf has made a huge change that could completely alter golf’s landscape.
LIV Golf has changed its format from 54-holes to 72-holes in a bid for its players to earn Official World Golf Ranking points.
It’s been a point of contention for LIV Golf in recent seasons, as its players tumbled down the order, having not earned any points during the LIV season. LIV Golf’s individual champion, Jon Rahm, is down in 71st in the rankings.
Something had to change in order for LIV to attract players moving forward. LIV has unsuccessfully pursued OWGR points in recent years, and has also failed to land a big-name signing since Rahm joined the tour in 2023.
Two recent PGA Tour winners were reported to be joining LIV, and perhaps this was the domino that needed to fall for that to happen.
LIV’s format has been subject to heated discussion in recent years, and it’s not something their stars have been totally aligned on.
Dustin Johnson and Talor Gooch praised LIV Golf’s 54-hole format
Dustin Johnson, who just re-signed to LIV this summer, was one of the players to praise LIV’s change to 72 holes when the news was announced. He explained: “Playing 72 holes just feels a little more like the big tournaments we’ve all grown up playing. I’ve always liked the grind of four rounds.”
But that somewhat contradicts what he said in the past. At a LIV press conference in 2022, Johnson praised the 54-hole format. He said, “Ever since I was first introduced to this idea, I thought it was great for the game of golf.
“I was excited about a new format, a new kind of golf that I think is great for the game, is great for the fans, and I think it’s going to be very exciting.
“I’m excited about playing. There’s three rounds, no cut, it’s a shotgun start, so to me everyone is playing in the same conditions.”
Meanwhile, Talor Gooch, who had won four times on the 54-hole format, said that it was the best way of playing for the fans. He said to reporters in 2024, “Everyone’s talked about World Ranking points and all this stuff, but no one’s talked about what do the fans enjoy more?
“People want something that’s going to be more exciting. And I personally think that the 54 holes is more exciting for the fans. It’s just funny to me, this arbitrary number of 72. Why is it not 90? Why is it not 108? We just decided to make that number the number, for what reason?”
Gooch said he joined LIV for its long-term vision, but this move appears to be a sharp departure from that. It’s one that should please their 2025 champion, however.
Jon Rahm asked LIV Golf to change to 72 holes
Despite making a ground-breaking move to LIV two years ago, Rahm was outspoken about changing the tour’s format to 72 holes.
In 2024, the two-time major winner said, “If there ever was a way where LIV could go to 72 holes, I think it would help all of this argument a lot.
“The closer I think we can get LIV Golf to some other things the better. I think it would be for some kind of unification to feed into a world tour or something like that.
“I don’t know if I’m alone in this, but I definitely wouldn’t mind going back to 72 holes.”
Especially now that LIV isn’t bringing in a wave of big names, it’s important it keeps its biggest stars happy. And while Bryson DeChambeau seemed to like the 54-hole format, this move will undoubtedly please their recent champion.
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