LIV Golf has announced a series of competition and format changes for the 2026 season.
They are aimed at placing greater emphasis on consistency, season-long performance and the continued development of team golf.
The updates follow feedback from players and teams and come as the league prepares for its move to a 72-hole format from 2026.
“Our continued mission is to build a league that grows the game competitively, commercially and culturally,” said LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil. “The changes we’re introducing for 2026 are about rewarding consistency, strengthening team golf, and creating clearer pathways for players to earn their place and progress within the League.
“Moving to 72 holes, expanding the field, increasing relegation, updating our points system and enhancing our investment in teams all reflect the same principle: if you perform week in and week out, individually and as part of a team, that performance matters.”
One of the most significant changes is an updated structure for LIV Golf’s season-long individual standings. From 2026, the Lock Zone will expand to the top 34 players, up from 24, securing their place in the league for the following season. Players finishing between 35 and 46 will fall into the Open Zone, while the Drop Zone – and relegation – will now apply to positions 47 through 57, increasing the number of players facing relegation pressure.
LIV Golf will also introduce a revised points system that awards points to all finishing positions, with greater weighting placed on top finishes. The league says the new system better reflects sustained high performance across a season and the contribution of individuals to team results.
Team golf will receive further investment, with weekly team prize money doubling from $5-million to $10-million. All 13 teams will now earn prize money each week based on finishing position, rather than only the top three. A new $2.3-million per-event prize pool will also reward individual performances within podium-finishing teams.
From 2026, LIV Golf events will be played over 72 holes and the field will expand from 54 to 57 players, with five wildcard positions allocated through the International Series and LIV Golf Promotions.
The 2026 season will begin at LIV Golf Riyadh from 4-7 February.
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) January 28, 2026
Photo: Raj Mehta/Getty Images
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