The 2025 season is ending, highlighting key decisions and moments shaping professional golf worldwide.
While golf remains rooted in many constants, 2025 saw groundbreaking decisions especially within the LIV Golf League. Several choices indicated a rapprochement with established tours. Changes also emerged on the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour.
LIV Golf Restructures Leadership and Strategy
In January, LIV Golf appointed American Scott O’Neil as CEO, succeeding Greg Norman who initially remained as advisor but later stepped back in September. O’Neil, with extensive professional sports management experience, aims to lead LIV Golf into its next development phase, emphasizing innovation and broader reach. He advocates for a more conciliatory approach to other golf leagues and foresees collaborations with the Majors, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), and the PGA Tour.
By February, R&A and USGA established new qualification routes for LIV golfers to the Open Championship and the US Open. By April, signs of alignment with the OWGR—key for most major qualifications—surfaced under O’Neil’s leadership. Notably, O’Neil and OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman met publicly at Augusta National Golf Club, marking a significant step since LIV Golf’s previously rejected OWGR application, which still restricts players’ major entries.
Penalties Impact DP World Tour and Ryder Cup
LIV Golf’s decision to cease fines against DP World Tour starting 2026 carries wide implications. The DP World Tour’s rules—and confirmed court rulings—penalize members who play unauthorized competing events. LIV players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton played in the Ryder Cup and DP World Tour this year without penalties as exclusion decisions remain under appeal. From 2026, players wishing to remain DP World Tour members—such as to participate in the Ryder Cup—must bear financial penalty risks themselves, possibly weakening the European team at the 2027 event in Ireland.
Format Revolution: LIV Expands to 72 Holes in 2026
The most pronounced LIV change in 2025 is extending tournaments from three to four days starting 2026, shifting from a 54-hole to a 72-hole format. Tournaments will typically run Thursday to Sunday, aligning with PGA and DP World Tour traditions. Since inception, LIV events followed a three-day standard as part of its concept to break golf conventions, reflected in its name referencing Roman numerals for 54.
PGA Tour Changes: Brian Rolapp Takes Helm
The PGA Tour announced notable shifts during 2025. Brian Rolapp,