LIV Golf is officially in HOT WATER after announcing a jaw-dropping shift to a 72-hole format starting in 2026, abandoning the very identity that made it the sport’s most controversial disruptor. What was meant to be a bold reinvention of professional golf has now turned into a public scramble for survival — and the cracks are showing everywhere.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2022 with its flashy, fast-paced 54-hole tournaments and shotgun starts, LIV promised to “revolutionize golf.”
Instead, the league is now staring down the barrel of a $1.1 BILLION burn rate, plummeting player rankings, and a desperate fight for legitimacy.
The league’s inability to secure Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points has triggered a meltdown among its star players. Former world number one Dustin Johnson has crashed to 64th in the world, while others have watched their major hopes evaporate. The shift to 72 holes is being described as LIV’s last-ditch bid to claw its way back into relevance.
Behind the scenes, the financial picture is even grimmer. LIV lost a staggering $461 million in 2024 alone, and although Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund continues to write the checks, insiders whisper that patience is dwindling. CEO Scott O’Neil insists the tour is “growing,” but sponsors remain tepid and fans confused by the league’s sudden identity crisis.
Players are now deeply divided:
⭐ The Supporters
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Jon Rahm and Dustin Johnson praise the move, calling it a “return to real competition.”
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They believe 72 holes could finally pressure the OWGR to reconsider its stance.
🔥 The Critics
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Rory McIlroy went for the jugular, calling the shift “a sign of desperation.”
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He bluntly stated that LIV’s issue was never its format — but the weakness of its fields.
As pressure mounts, LIV faces the biggest question of its existence:
Can it reinvent itself AGAIN without losing the fans, players, and identity it originally built its empire on?
The countdown to the 2026 season is already sending shockwaves through the golf world. If this pivot fails, LIV Golf may not just be rebranding…
It may be fighting for its life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxyJSxAyf3o
