What is LIV Golf? What you need to know about the upstart series that’s changing professional golf

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — You see it on the signage lining the walkway as soon as you pass through the gates of a LIV Golf Invitational Series event: 48 players, 12 teams, 54 holes, no cuts, shotgun starts.

At the surface level, that’s the selling point for the Greg Norman-led and Saudi Arabia-funded golf circuit that’s challenging the PGA Tour and shaking up professional golf as we know it. Well, that and multi-million dollar offers with the likes of a reported $200 million for Phil Mickelson.

With the second LIV Golf event scheduled to start Thursday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, we thought it’d be a good time to break down what we know about the new series.

What does LIV stand for?

It’s the Roman numeral for 54, number of holes player at LIV events as well as the golf score if a player were to birdie every hole of a par-72 course.

What is LIV Golf?

In October of 2021, Golfweek reported on a new golf series that would be commissioned by two-time major champion Greg Norman, the CEO of the new golf entity LIV Golf Investments, who brands themselves as “Golf, but louder.”

The LIV Golf Invitational Series is an eight-event series of golf tournaments that feature, as mentioned above: 48 players, 12 teams, 54 holes, no cuts and shotgun starts. There are team and individual champions for the seven regular season events, with a team championship to be awarded after a four-day, four-round event in which the teams will be seeded in a knock-out playoff bracket.

How much money is up for grabs?

A lot.

A whopping $255 million is up for grabs in the 2022 season.

The seven regular season events boast $25 million purses, with $4 million going to the individual winner and $3 million going to the winning team. The purse for the team championship rises to $50 million, with the winning squad taking home a cool $16 million. The player crowned the champion of the regular season will earn $18 million, with $8 million going to second and $4 million to third.

Charl Schwartzel celebrates with his family after winning the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event at the Centurion Club. (Photo: Paul Childs-Action Images/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports)

Where are events being held?

All over the world, with the first just outside London earlier this month. Five of the eight in 2022 are in United States, with two at courses owned by Donald Trump. One event will be played in Thailand, with another in Saudi Arabia.

Learn more about the eight courses hosting a LIV Golf event in 2022 here.

LIV Golf Invitational 2022 schedule

Norman has previously stated the plan is for the series to expand to 10 events in 2023.

What players are involved?

The fields and teams each week are subject to change but here are the big names involved: Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, Matthew Wolff and Kevin Na.

College players are in the mix, too. Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, the world’s No. 2-ranked amateur, announced earlier this year his plans to stay at Oklahoma State for another year. Last week he turned professional to join LIV Golf. Arizona State rising senior David Puig played the first event as an amateur.

Phil Mickelson during the first round of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event at the Centurion Club. (Photo: Paul Childs-Action Images/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports)

What players are against LIV Golf?

Few players have been as outspoken as Rory McIlroy, who recently called Koepka “duplicitous” for his actions. Justin Thomas joined McIlroy in supporting commissioner Jay Monahan after he suspended PGA Tour players who teed it up in the LIV Golf event in London earlier this summer.

Collin Morikawa went out of his way to recently clear the air of rumors he was considering LIV Golf. He’s not. Jon Rahm famously declared his fealty to the PGA Tour. Tiger Woods said the Tour is where his legacy is, so he’s not going anywhere.

Take them at their word, seeing as a few players have flip-flopped opinions, such as Koepka, Johnson, and Pat Perez, for example.

Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka at the 2022 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran-Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY Sports)

How to watch

On June 6 LIV Golf announced its events would be streamed on its own website as well as its YouTube channel and social media platforms. NBC Sports’ former voice of the Premier League, Arlo White, would be the play-by-play announcer, with former Golf Channel analyst Jerry Foltz and Dom Boulet joining in the booth. Su-Ann Heng, a former No. 1 in Singapore, will lead on-course commentating. Troy Mullins, “will serve as an on-course reporter and social influencer.”

As of now, there is currently no television broadcast partner.

Do players earn Official World Golf Ranking points?

In a recent interview on Fox News, Norman addressed one of the biggest challenges facing the LIV Series: events do not award OWGR points.

“We’re actually applying for OWGR points right now,” said Norman. “And it’s a very compelling application. We’ve worked very, very closely with the technical committee understanding all the components of what you need to apply for it. And quite honestly, it’s going to be interesting because on the board that votes on the OWGR points for anybody new coming in, here’s Jay Monahan. Now, it’ll be interesting to see if Jay Monahan recuses himself from that vote because of what he said on television with Jim Nantz the other day. So it’s very interesting and it’s sad to be, you know, putting that additional exerting pressure on it because our tour is a good tour. It’s supported, it’s got an incredible field. Our point should be that if we get the OWGR out points, then everything else takes care of itself.”

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman looks on during the second round of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event at the Centurion Club. (Photo: Paul Childs-Action Images/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports)

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