LIV Golf Announces Monumental Change That Has To Infuriate Some Of Its Star Players

LIV Golf has announced a change in its tournament format that not only goes against what the circuit was named for, but also one of the reasons many high-profile players joined it in the first place.

The Saudi-backed circuit announced on Tuesday that, beginning in 2026, it will be moving away from the 54-hole format and all tournaments will consist of 72 holes contested over four days. The team aspect of LIV competitions, as well as the shotgun start each round, will remain.

LIV Golf took on its name due to LIV being the Roman numeral for the number 54, but now the circuit named after one specific number will actually play 72 holes moving forward. 

Aside from the not-so-serious joke about the name not making any sense at all now, it's fair to assume that many LIV players aren't exactly thrilled about having to now play 72-hole tournaments. Many players are locked into contracts that reportedly include millions guaranteed, but more golf is more golf.

READ: Donald Trump Tells Golf Analyst Exactly Why LIV Golf Won't Be Going Away Anytime Soon

Two-time major champion Dustin Johnson admitted on Netflix's ‘Full Swing’ documentary series in 2023 that playing less golf and making more money was a selling point for him to bolt from the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf.

"For me it was playing less, making more money. Pretty simple," Johnson said during an episode of the show.

"Someone offers anyone a job, doing the same thing they're already doing but less time at the office and they're gonna pay them more. Pretty sure you're gonna take it. And something's wrong with you if you didn't."

Johnson offered up a completely different thought in LIV's announcement about the 72-hole change on Tuesday.

"I think it’s a great move for the League and I’m excited for it. 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 – it gives the best players a chance to rise to the top," Johnson said. "LIV Golf has been a great experience from the start, and I think this makes it even better for the fans and for us out there competing."

Johnson was far from the only player who joined LIV Golf who openly talked about their desire to play less golf while making more money.

Johnson and his fellow LIV players will still play an abbreviated schedule compared to what they managed on the PGA Tour, but tacking on another 18 holes of golf each tournament week on a global schedule certainly adds to the workload.

The current 2026 LIV schedule includes 11 events, although there are reports of two more individual events plus the team championship expected to hit the calendar. Playing in fourteen total events is still fewer than what the average PGA Tour player will make in 2026. 

However, if you look at the top PGA Tour players, the ‘playing less golf’ idea takes a bit of a hit.

World No 1. Scottie Scheffler made 15 Tour starts plus the four major championships in 2025, while Rory McIlroy only made 12 Tour starts plus the four majors. Johnson made 14 starts on LIV, including the team championship, on top of playing in all four majors in 2025.

Despite LIV's announcement not mentioning the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), it's hard to imagine the governing body didn't play some sort of factor in the 72-hole change.

LIV Golf has never been recognized by the OWGR since its inception, which makes it far more challenging for its players to qualify for major championships. The two biggest knocks against LIV in terms of receiving OWGR points were the 54-hole format as well as there not being a cut at tournaments. The addition of a cut was not mentioned in LIV's announcement, but the addition of 18 more holes can't hurt its chances of getting into good graces with the OWGR system.