The LIV Golf League is ditching its signature 54-hole format.
Beginning next year, LIV will adopt a traditional 72-hole structure for all regular-season events, the league announced Tuesday. The individual and team competitions will continue to run simultaneously, and the circuit will maintain its shotgun-start format.
Most tournaments will follow a Thursday-Sunday schedule, according to the league’s press release. It’s not yet clear if there will be a halfway cut.
This shift likely represents part of LIV’s ongoing strategy to earn recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking. While the 54-hole format wasn’t considered a deal-breaker by OWGR officials, moving to 72 holes brings LIV more in line with established tours worldwide.
Jon Rahm, who’s won two LIV individual season-long championships, has advocated for this change since joining the league in late 2023. The 54-hole structure has been a frequent criticism from skeptics questioning the legitimacy of LIV’s competition.
“This is a win for the league and the players,” Rahm said. “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.”
The change to 72 holes represents one of several recent adjustments to LIV’s competitive structure. Earlier this week, the league also announced that the top two finishers at January’s promotions event at Black Diamond Ranch in Florida will earn spots for the 2026 LIV season, along with the top two players from the Asian Tour’s International Series standings.
