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LIV Golf opted to adopt the 54-hole format that serves as the basis for its name when it set out to go toe-to-toe with the PGA Tour in 2022. It has firmly failed in its quest to do that while struggling to help its players stay relevant with the OWGR points they can’t gain by playing in tournaments, and the organization has finally decided to embrace a “new” format in an attempt to address some of those issues.
A good chunk of the PGA Tour players who opted to defect to LIV Golf tried to explain that decision by trotting out the “Grow The Game” mantra the upstart league embraced in an attempt to justify an existence made possible by the virtually endless amount of Saudi money that also served as a pretty solid motivator to swap allegiances.
“Why does this need to exist in the first place?” is the one question LIV Golf has tried—and largely failed—to answer since kicking off its inaugural season in 2022.
Its business model relied on throwing an absurd amount of cash at the best golfers on the planet to lure them away from the PGA Tour while operating under the assumption fans would follow, but that has not been the case for the organzation that has cemented itself as a money pit that has little to show for the billions of dollars that have been poured into it.
LIV Golf attempted to differentiate itself from the PGA Tour by promoting a relatively relaxed atmosphere on the course and adopting a team-based format at tournaments that don’t feature cuts and consist of 54 holes. That last feature defined it to the point where its name is comprised of the Roman numerals that represent that number, but it will now be a relic of the past thanks to a change that was a long time coming.
LIV Golf is shifting to a 72-hole format after failing to gain accreditation from the Official World Golf Rankings
The golfers who headed to LIV Golf did so knowing they’d be banned from competing in events on the PGA Tour. Many of the biggest names already had exemptions that ensured they’d be able to play in major tournaments, but plenty of others realized they were going to have trouble racking up the Official World Golf Ranking points that help determine who qualifies for those events.
That led to a number of golfers plummeting down the OWGR leaderboard, and in 2024, LIV Golf waved the white flag after spending years unsuccessfully lobbying the governing body to allow competitors to gain points at its events.
The OWGR pointed to the 54-hole format as a factor in the decision to deny accreditation, noting it would be unfair to dole out points when the PGA Tour and the vast majority of the other circuits that it has certified are based on a 72-hole format (a lack of strict qualifying for a circuit that leans heavily on direct invitations was also an issue that hasn’t been firmly addressed).
On Tuesday, LIV Golf announced it will be joining that club by adding a Thursday round to all of its events going forward, with CEO Scott O’Neil issuing a statement that read, in part:
“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.”
A press release notes the team aspect and shotgun start will remain unchanged, and while the OWGR factor wasn’t mentioned, it seems very safe to assume LIV Golf will be making another appeal on that front before its fourth season kicks off at Riyadh Golf Club on February 4, 2026.
There is also nothing that suggests it will be changing its name even though “LXXII Golf” is now more accurate.