Liv Golf To Change To 72-hole Format

LIV Golf events will beryllium extended to 72 holes from 2026, putting them successful statement pinch nan sport's established tours.

The Saudi Arabia-backed circuit began successful 2022 pinch 54-hole events and nan unconventional format of events played a domiciled successful players being denied charismatic ranking points.

Most LIV events person been played from Friday to Sunday but will now beryllium contested from Thursday of tourney weeks - isolated from a Wednesday commencement for February's LIV Golf Riyadh.

Two-time awesome victor Jon Rahm, who won his 2nd consecutive LIV title successful August, said that "this is simply a triumph for nan league, and nan players".

"LIV Golf is simply a player's league," said nan erstwhile world number one. "We are competitors to nan halfway and we want each opportunity to compete astatine nan highest level and to cleanable our craft.

"Moving to 72 holes is nan logical adjacent measurement that strengthens nan competition, tests america much fully, and, if nan increasing galleries from past play are immoderate indication, delivers much of what nan fans want."

Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points play a cardinal domiciled successful determining introduction into golf's 4 majors.

LIV Golf players person slid down nan rankings pinch Rahm now 71st successful nan world while Dustin Johnson, different erstwhile world number one, is 604th.

"Playing 72 holes conscionable feels a small much for illustration nan large tournaments we've each grown up playing," said Johnson. "I've ever liked nan grind of 4 rounds."

Bryson DeChambeau, who is besides connected nan LIV tour, added: "Everyone wants to spot nan champion players successful nan world competing against each other, particularly successful nan majors, and for nan bully of nan game, we request a way forward."

For each regular play event, nan individual title will beryllium decided complete 72 holes of changeable play.

The squad title will proceed to tally concurrently, pinch each team's cumulative individual changeable play scores determining nan squad result.

"The move to 72 holes marks a pivotal caller section for LIV Golf that strengthens our league, challenges our elite section of players, and delivers much of nan world-class golf, energy, invention and entree that our world assemblage wants," said LIV Golf main executive Scott O'Neil.

"The astir successful leagues astir nan world - IPL, EPL, NBA, MLB, NFL - proceed to innovate and germinate their product, and arsenic an emerging league, we are nary different."

Analysis by BBC play analogous Iain Carter

This is simply a awesome alteration for LIV and nan astir important move since Scott O'Neil replaced Greg Norman arsenic nan breakaway tour's main executive past year.

It is simply a voluntary rejection of 1 of nan basal points of quality betwixt LIV and nan established master tours.

Adding an other information intelligibly pleases their players, respective of whom person campaigned for this switch. In his first LIV season, Jon Rahm told BBC Sport that he would for illustration to spot nan format summation from 3 to 4 rounds.

At nan time, Rahm based on that specified an alteration would thief nan crippled unify. But location still seems small chance of it starring to a coming together betwixt nan Saudi funded circuit and nan PGA Tour.

The move could thief LIV's quest for nickname by nan charismatic play rankings, but nan OWGR is still apt to person concerns complete nan league's squad format perchance compromising individual performances.

This was a awesome sticking constituent erstwhile LIV's first bid for nickname was rejected. LIV besides announced this week an expanded pathway for players to suffice for their tour, which is different move that could thief them summation world ranking recognition.

It is besides worthy noting that many, not all, of LIV's biggest stars person struggled successful majors. Returning to a regular fare of 72-hole title mightiness consequence successful them becoming amended prepared for nan large 4 tournaments that stay nan astir important successful nan game.