The 2025 season concludes with a review of the most significant decisions and moments in professional golf.
Although golf is a sport marked by many constants, 2025 saw several profound decisions, especially within the LIV Golf League. Some moves by LIV Golf indicated a rapprochement with established tours. Changes were also evident in the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour.
LIV Golf’s Strategic and Leadership Revamp
In January, a leadership change at LIV Golf was announced. American Scott O’Neil took over as CEO from Greg Norman, founder of the 2021-established league. Norman initially planned to stay on as advisor but withdrew completely in September. O’Neil, a sports executive with decades of experience, aims to take LIV Golf into its next phase emphasizing innovation and broader reach. He advocates a more conciliatory approach towards other tours, with potential future collaborations with the Majors, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), and the PGA Tour.
New qualification pathways for LIV golfers were introduced by the R&A and USGA in February for the Open Championship and US Open. By April, discussions between O’Neil and Trevor Immelman, chairman of OWGR, took place at Augusta National Golf Club – marking the first such engagement since LIV’s rejected OWGR bid, which still limits LIV players’ Major participation.
Impact of Penalties and Format Changes
LIV Golf’s decision to stop paying penalties to the DP World Tour from the 2026 season could have wide repercussions. DP World Tour rules and court rulings sanction its members who play in unauthorized rival events. LIV stars Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton participated in the Ryder Cup and DP World Tour events without penalties this year as exclusion rulings are under appeal. From 2026, players wishing to remain DP World Tour members for Ryder Cup eligibility must self-manage sanctions, potentially weakening Europe’s team in Ireland 2027.
The biggest change within LIV Golf in 2025 was extending tournament play from three to four days starting 2026, switching from a 54-hole to a 72-hole format. Tournaments will typically run Thursday through Sunday, aligning with PGA and DP World Tour standards. This ends the league’s original approach of 54-hole events, embodied in its Roman numeral name LIV (54), which challenged traditional golf norms.
Changes in PGA and LPGA Leadership and Formats
The PGA Tour also announced changes in 2025 with Brian Rolapp, an NFL executive, becoming its CEO. He will succeed longtime Commissioner Jay Monahan, who will depart by end-2026. This