With 2026 nearly upon us, we will enter one other stretch of 12 months that the cynics didn’t suppose LIV Golf would nonetheless be round for.
The Saudi-funded league burst on the scene in 2022, presenting itself instead golf expertise for each followers and gamers. 54 holes (not too long ago modified to 72), shotgun begins, and music blaring across the host venues have been a departure from the norm, manifested by the PGA Tour in America and the DP World Tour in Europe.
To now, LIV can boast a roster that includes Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Tyrrell Hatton. You may also watch the league on Fox Sports activities in America and ITV within the UK.
Every participant has a contract, which is one other characteristic that separates LIV. As soon as a mission left incomplete by golf icon Greg Norman, the Shark lastly bought a brand new league off the bottom as its CEO.
Issues have modified in that division, and in different departments of LIV because it continues to evolve. Beneath, I’ve tried to summarise the place LIV stands on the finish of 2025, what it has achieved, the format of the league, and options which can be but to be decided and points that should be ironed out.
Who performs for what crew?
There are 13 groups in LIV Golf. Right here they’re. Every captain would be the first title listed on every crew. These can be up to date because the switch window develops:
4Aces GC: Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Thomas Pieters, Harold Varner III
Cleeks GC: Martin Kaymer, Richard Bland, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez
Crushers GC: Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri
Fireballs GC: Sergio Garcia, Josele Ballester, David Puig
HyFlyers GC: Phil Mickelson, Andy Ogletree (Relegated), Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale
Iron Heads GC: Kevin Na, Yubin Jang (Relegated), Jinichiro Kozuma, Danny Lee
Legion XIII: Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Caleb Surratt
Majesticks GC: Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield, Laurie Canter
RangeGoats GC: Bubba Watson, Ben Campbell, Peter Uihlein, Matthew Wolff
Ripper GC: Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman
Smash GC: Talor Gooch, Jason Kokrak, Graeme McDowell
Stinger GC: Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel
Torque GC: Joaquin Niemann, Sebastian Munoz, Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer
Wildcards: Anthony Kim, Chieh-Po Lee
Reserve gamers: John Catlin, Minkyu Kim, Luis Masaveu, Wade Ormsby, Max Rottluff, Ollie Schneiderjans, Younger-han Tune
Who else might be part of LIV?
The unique intrigue with LIV was who was going to grow to be a insurgent and be part of? It was enjoyable, however this intrigue has died down considerably because the roster has taken a extra strong form.
Current hyperlinks have been made with Si Woo Kim, a former Gamers Championship winner, as a possible recruit for the Ironheads. Sungjae Im has been talked about in whispers, too, however we nonetheless await affirmation.
Six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau was as soon as linked to LIV, however once more, nothing got here to fruition.
Who works for LIV, and the place is Greg Norman?
Scott O’Neil grew to become the LIV CEO and changed Greg Norman because the face of the league in January 2025. Noman now works inside LIV away from the limelight and was the driving drive in its beginning.
O’Neil had been CEO of Merin Entertainments and for Harris Blitzer Sports activities and Leisure.
The format
There are 54 gamers in every LIV event, comprising 13 four-man groups and two wildcards. There are particular person and crew leaderboards. The person with the bottom rating throughout 72 holes wins the occasion, simply as regular. Because the begin, the occasions had been 54 holes, however this modified to 72 for 2026 onwards.
There’s a season-long particular person standing. The upper you end every week, the extra factors you earn throughout the season. For those who end within the prime 24 on the finish, you stick with LIV. For those who end beneath forty eighth, you’re relegated. Something in between, you’re a free agent and might both signal for one more crew or stick with your personal crew.
Within the crew format, the bottom cumulative crew rating wins the crew occasion. At every occasion, each rating counts. If all 4 gamers within the crew shoot degree par, the cumulative rating can be degree par. If all of them shoot 5-under, their rating is 20-under.
There’s a crew championship on the finish of the yr. You may learn in regards to the format right here.
World Rating Factors
The gamers who signed for LIV anticipated, as a part of the deal, that they might nonetheless earn world rating factors within the close to future, which might assist meet qualifying standards to play within the majors.
LIV Golf occasions don’t qualify for world rating factors and have had one software rejected already. This implies the rankings are skewed, with prime gamers like Rahm teetering on the cusp of the highest 100.
The continuing second software feels extra sustained and promising. The large format change from 54 holes to 72 was a part of their efforts to appease the Official World Golf Rating board (OWGR), in addition to assist gamers put together for the majors, that are additionally 72 holes.
LIV was initially rejected due to the closed-style nature of the league, and likewise with issues that the crew format might compromise the gamers’ efficiency within the particular person format.
I believed the PGA Tour/DP World Tour/LIV Golf struggle was over?
It was meant to be over on June 6, 2023, when ex-PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan publicly introduced a framework settlement with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the chairman of the Public Funding Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV.
Nonetheless, there was no strong settlement since, and talks have fizzled out. There had been litigation filed towards the tour by 11 LIV gamers, as a result of the tour suspended them, however these fires have been put out within the title of friendship. That’s about so far as niceties went, although. As a substitute, the PGA Tour made a cope with Strategic Sports activities Group (SSG), which secured $1.5 billion for an fairness program for PGA Tour gamers.
The PGA Tour don’t want the PIF for cash anymore, and the PIF have by no means wanted cash, interval. Concord was supposedly on the coronary heart of the framework settlement, however new PGA Tour boss Brian Rolapp has different fish to fry, as he seems to be to streamline the PGA Tour’s schedule within the coming years.
That is all earlier than the assorted authorized hurdles in the best way of the PGA Tour merging with LIV Golf, and the function of the US Division of Justice in guaranteeing truthful competitors. All of it bought a bit a lot, basically.
What do the important thing protagonists say about all of it?
Again in August, new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp revealed he hadn’t spoken to anybody from the PIF, some 18 days into his reign. Now in December, the hearsay mill hasn’t been churning inside this story prefer it used to.
On the Hero World Problem this month, Tiger Woods wasn’t even requested for an replace about talks with the PIF. Woods chairs the Future Competitors Committee, which is charged with forming the tour’s aggressive mannequin.
In November, here’s what Rory McIlroy mentioned at CNBC’s CEO Council Discussion board:
“You see a few of these different sports activities which have been fractured for therefore lengthy. You take a look at boxing for instance, otherwise you take a look at what’s occurred in motor racing in america with Indy and NASCAR and every thing else, I believe for golf normally it will be higher if there was unification.
“However I simply suppose with what’s occurred over the previous couple of years, it’s simply going to be very tough to have the ability to do this.”
How a lot cash has LIV spent?
Once we say the PIF has an limitless pit of cash, it isn’t removed from the reality. Cash in Sport not too long ago reported that $5 billion has been put in to make LIV work. This contains issues such because the $25 million prize funds at every occasion (14 occasions in 2026), working prices for tournaments, and participant sign-up charges, amongst different issues.
Can LIV gamers play within the Ryder Cup?
Sure. To date, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have all performed within the Ryder Cup whereas beneath LIV supervision.
Koepka received the PGA Championship in 2023, which helped earn sufficient factors to draw a captain’s decide to play for Crew USA that yr. DeChambeau and Hatton respectively certified for the USA and Europe in 2025, whereas Rahm bought a captain’s decide from Europe’s Luke Donald.
To play for America, you have to be a PGA of America member, and the organisation has LIV on its listing of ‘accepted excursions’. To play for Europe, that you must be a member of the DP World Tour and never face any sanctions. We are going to clarify extra beneath, however Rahm and Hatton appealed their sanctions and have been in a position to play in 2025.
Stars dealing with heavy fines
This concern is just not as a lot beneath LIV’s management because the OWGR mission. Nevertheless it might trigger angst amongst its ranks, as when 2026 begins, they’re turning off the faucet and never paying fines for gamers who’re nonetheless members of the DP World Tour (what was referred to as the European Tour).
The principle focus is on Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. This European pair joined LIV in 2024 and saved their DP World Tour memberships, which means that when the DP World Tour earned the proper to tremendous and droop members for taking part in in conflicting LIV occasions, the hammer got here down every time they teed it up with LIV. LIV has footed every invoice, however that’s altering subsequent yr.
They used the loophole of interesting them, which has delayed their funds for nicely over a yr now, and allow them to compete on the Ryder Cup. These funds will should be made quickly however, assuming Rahm and Hatton plan to stick with LIV, invoices will frequently be despatched their means, and to gamers which can be nonetheless DP World Tour members.
So can LIV gamers play on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour?
Sure, they will play on the PGA Tour, however they’ve to attend out a year-long suspension. And sure, they will play on the DP World Tour, so long as they tackle their sanctions in some capability. Then, they will play as a member or, if they’re eligible, via numerous event standards.
How do they play in majors?
Earlier than some gamers moved to LIV, that they had already received majors, and that may imply long-term main immunity. For instance, Phil Mickelson has received the Masters and the PGA, which provides lifetime exemptions. He additionally received The Open in 2013, which suggests he can play in it till he’s 60.
Bryson DeChambeau received the US Open in 2024, which suggests he can play in that for one more 10 years. So, there are many previous champions’ avenues. Additionally, if the gamers who’re eligible for majors play nicely sufficient in them, they earn spots for subsequent yr. For those who play in majors, you may also earn world rating factors to climb the rankings, which additionally opens one other pathway.
In 2025, the Open and the US Open created new LIV-specific standards, whereby the highest-ranked ineligible participant within the LIV standings, on the time of the designated deadline, might play.
Beneath are the hyperlinks to NCG items on learn how to play in every main. If a LIV participant meets any of the factors, they will play:
How you can qualify for the Masters
How you can qualify for the PGA Championship
How you can qualify for the US Open
How you can qualify for The Open
What’s going on with contracts?
It is a subject that has gained traction in current days as five-time main champion Koepka has now left LIV Golf.
He as soon as admitted that had he not been crippled by accidents and seemingly fearing for his profession, the choice to hitch LIV would possibly’ve been tougher. When requested if it was an enormous second for his ex-employers after he received the PGA Championship in 2023, he rapidly dashed that notion and targeted extra on what it meant for him.
Two days earlier than Christmas, it was introduced he was leaving LIV. If he needs to hitch the PGA Tour once more after leaving three years in the past, he should wait. NCG understands that he would wish to serve a yr’s suspension from the final spherical he performed with LIV, which might take us to August 2026.
Nonetheless, presuming Koepka needs again in on the PGA Tour, the forthcoming onboarding course of can be fascinating. Followers would possibly view Koepka as the primary domino to fall, and that extra stars would possibly depart on the finish of their contracts.
Every LIV participant is on a contract, and the shady, unpublicised nature of them creates a vacuum of hypothesis as to when gamers would possibly resolve they’ve had sufficient of LIV, if they need.
Will these groups ever grow to be franchises?
Every LIV crew has a captain. Rahm is the captain of Legion XIII, DeChambeau is the captain of Crushers, and so forth. In addition to acting on the golf course, there’s an expectation that the captains lead the groups’ efforts outdoors of the ropes to develop and sprout into franchises. Every captain owns fairness within the crew, too.
Presumably, this could imply attracting blue-chip firms to speculate and grow to be sponsors, and mentioned firms received’t do this and not using a forecast of revenue.
Whereas this is likely to be reasonable for a crew with Rahm and Hatton (Legion XIII), or Johnson and Reed (4Aces), you surprise how a crew that at present options Kevin Na, Yubin Jang, Jinichero Kozuma and Danny Lee (the Ironheads) is remotely marketable. This isn’t the one crew that falls into this class, both.
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