LIV Golf are struggling to bring in any big names ahead of the 2026 season.
Struggling might be an understatement, too. Gone are the days of multiple-time major winners like Jon Rahm sending shockwaves around the golfing world by jumping ship and joining the Saudi-backed league.
This offseason, they have made two signings. Laurie Canter joined LIV shortly after securing his PGA Tour card, and Frenchman Victor Perez joined Cleeks GC.
They were rumoured to have made two relatively big additions, but Si Woo Kim pulled out of his late-stage negotiations, and Sungjae Im unreservedly denied joining LIV on his Instagram. To rub salt into the wounds, reports emerged that Brooks Koepka wants to leave LIV to rejoin the PGA Tour.
So why have the wheels fallen off this season? Why is it that LIV is suddenly unable to attract not only the biggest names but mid-level PGA Tour members? It’s because of one decision they made this year to try to attract new players that has completely backfired.
LIV Golf’s decision has completely backfired.
This offseason, LIV Golf abandoned its original 54-hole format and moved to a standard 72-hole setup—the very identity the tour was built on. The idea was to qualify for Official World Golf Ranking points, helping them retain star players and lure new ones.
Instead, the change seems to have backfired. While Jon Rahm had pushed for the switch, many players didn’t agree. Several big names, including Dustin Johnson, openly preferred the shorter format. Whether people loved it or hated it, that structure set LIV apart and gave it a clear identity.
Now, by adopting the same 72-hole format as traditional events, LIV is starting to look too similar to the PGA Tour. That raises an obvious question: why would a player choose LIV anymore? Just for the money?
If massive paychecks are LIV’s main selling point, it’s no surprise that strategy is losing its power. Players who were motivated purely by money would have joined already. Tiger Woods, for example, turned down reports of an $800 million offer. Some players simply can’t be bought.
For golfers struggling with form and looking for a fresh start, LIV doesn’t offer much appeal either. Cam Smith’s slump and Rahm going winless in 2025 don’t exactly inspire confidence that LIV helps players rediscover elite form.
In 2025, no LIV golfer won a major, and only three made the Ryder Cup. So if a player is already struggling on the PGA Tour, LIV hardly looks like the solution.
By changing its format, LIV may have given up its last real advantage—the one thing that clearly separated it from everyone else. In five years, this decision could be remembered as the turning point that marked the beginning of the end.
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