Even Rory McIlroy is trying to wrap his head around LIV Golf’s decision to move its golf tournaments from 54 to 72 holes. Seen as a way to ultimately gain approval (and points) from the Official World Golf Rankings, LIV Golf’s move represents a shift from its original philosophy and one McIlroy believes may not have been necessary.
“I think it’s a peculiar move because I think they could have got ranking points with three rounds,” McIlroy said. “I don’t think three rounds versus four rounds is what was holding them back.”
On Tuesday, LIV Golf made headlines when the league announced it would be shifting to the traditional format in professional golf — 72 holes and four rounds of play. Tournaments are scheduled to start on Thursday like those on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour and the switch essentially sheds LIV Golf of one of its original missions, which was to transform the professional game, although the team competition will continue to run alongside the individual action.
“It certainly puts them more in line with traditional golf tournaments than what we’ve all done,” McIlroy said. “It brings them back into not really being a disruptor and sort is of falling more in line with what everyone else does. But if that’s what they felt they needed to do to get the ranking points, I guess that’s what they had to do.”
McIlroy is correct in stating that 54 holes was not the end all be all for LIV Golf and its quest for OWGR accreditation. The Clutch Pro Tour, which conducts 54-hole tournaments with a cut after 36 holes, was included in the OWGR system in April 2024 following a 17-month application process.
Another 54-hole circuit in the MENA Tour — which LIV Golf attempted to utilize to gain ranking points via a strategic alliance in 2022 — has been part of the system since 2016. The league has not staged an event since 2023 but plans to return later this month.
Still, the move probably helps. LIV Golf’s initial application to the OWGR was denied in October 2023 due to the closed-shop nature of the league and the individual competition potentially being altered by that of the team competition.
In the two years since, LIV Golf has made some strides to make up for its shortcomings. The league recently added another qualifying spot in its LIV Golf Promotions event and will also award not only the top player but the second-ranked player from the International Series a place in the league for 2026.
During this time some of its best players have plummeted in the OWGR and have gained points only through major championships or starts on other tours such as the DP World Tour. Jon Rahm is down to No. 71, Bryson DeChambeau is No. 23 and Joaquin Niemann who some within the league were calling the best player in the world at one point this season finds himself as the world No. 122.
“I think what’s hard is you’ve got the LIV guys, and say potentially they get World Rankings, but because their strength of fields are going to be so weak because a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings because they have not had ranking points for so long,” McIlroy said. “I don’t know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”