LIV Golf: History, Results, and Champions

The Rise of LIV Golf

LIV Golf, a groundbreaking golf tour, made its debut in June 2022 with its first event held at the Centurion Club outside of London, England. This new league is primarily owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, marking a significant shift in the landscape of professional golf.

LIV Golf Seasons, Schedules, and Events

The initial season, known as the Invitational Series, featured eight tournaments. It was designed to attract a rotating cast of players, with new LIV Golf contracted players joining those willing to test the waters of the Saudi-owned league and its substantial prize money.

In 2023, the LIV Golf Invitational Series evolved into the LIV Golf League, introducing 12 teams of four players each. These teams remained relatively consistent throughout the 14-event season, with only minor changes due to injuries.

By 2024, the league had expanded to include a 13th team and increased its field to 54 players, including two unaffiliated floating players. The following year, in 2026, the field was further expanded to 57 players, with five wild-card players added, and the tournament length extended to 72 holes.

LIV Golf Format

Throughout its history, LIV Golf has maintained a format that includes both individual and team events, each lasting 54 holes. However, starting in 2026, all tournaments were extended to 72 holes, featuring a shotgun start for each round. There is no cut for the field, and playoffs determine the winners of both individual and team events.

For the first two seasons, the team component counted the top two scores from each team in each round toward the team total. In the final round, the three best scores counted toward the team total. Starting in 2024, the top three scores from a team counted for the first two rounds, with all four scores counting in the final round. From 2025 onward, all four scores from each team count in all three rounds.

LIV Golf Season-Long Champions

Joaquin Niemann stands out as the most successful player in LIV Golf history, having won seven titles. Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau follow closely with five wins each, while Talor Gooch is third with four victories.

Dustin Johnson was the individual champion of the LIV Golf Invitational Series season, and Gooch claimed the individual championship in 2023. Jon Rahm emerged as the individual champion in 2024.

The team championships have seen various winners over the years. The 4 Aces team won the team championship in 2022, followed by the Crushers in 2023 and Ripper in 2024. The final event of the season, the LIV Golf Team Championship, seeds teams based on performance in the individual tournaments and culminates in a team match-play competition to determine the winner.