The 2025 season draws to a close with a review of the most pivotal decisions and moments in professional golf.
Although golf is defined by many constants, 2025 saw several profound decisions, especially in the LIV Golf League. Some choices signal LIV Golf’s rapprochement with established tours, while changes also occurred in the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour.
LIV Golf Restructures Leadership and Strategy
In January, Scott O’Neil became the new CEO of LIV Golf, taking over from Greg Norman who initially remained as advisor before stepping away in September. O’Neil, an experienced sports executive, aims to lead LIV Golf into its next phase with innovation and expanded reach. He advocates a more conciliatory approach toward other golf tours and envisions future collaborations with the Majors, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), and the PGA Tour.
In February, the R&A and USGA created new qualifying opportunities for LIV players at the Open Championship and US Open. A convergence with the OWGR, vital for Major qualifications, became apparent under O’Neil in April, highlighted by his meeting with OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman at Augusta National. This was the first engagement since LIV’s rejected OWGR application, which continues to limit LIV golfers in Major participation.
Impact on DP World Tour and Ryder Cup
LIV Golf’s 2026 decision to end fines imposed by the DP World Tour on players participating in competing events will have broad consequences. DP World Tour rules, legally upheld, penalize members who enter rival tournaments without approval. LIV stars like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton played the 2025 Ryder Cup and DP World Tour events without penalties pending their appeals. From 2026, players wishing to remain DP World members and compete in the Ryder Cup must handle these sanctions themselves, potentially weakening the European team in the 2027 event in Ireland.
Revolutionizing the Format: LIV Extends to 72 Holes in 2026
The most significant LIV Golf decision was changing its tournament format from three days (54 holes) to four days (72 holes) starting in 2026. LIV events will generally run Thursday through Sunday, aligning with the PGA and DP World Tours’ tradition. Since its founding, LIV Golf featured three-day events as part of its break with tradition, symbolized by LIV’s Roman numeral 54 name.
Transformation at PGA Tour: Brian Rolapp Takes Helm
The PGA Tour also announced major changes. NFL executive Brian Rolapp will become CEO, succeeding Commissioner Jay Mon