LIV Golf Explained: Format, scoring and teams

Founded in 2021, LIV Golf represented golf's first real breakaway since the PGA Tour was founded in 1968.

Its first season was played in 2022, with a number of high-profile golfers being lured away from the PGA Tour to take part in the rebel organisation.

LIV Golf's unique selling point was that it was played over 54 holes rather than the standard 72, and would utilise a team format alongside the regular stroke play.

Find out more about how LIV works below.

LIV Golf tournaments

As with the 2024 season, the 2025 LIV Golf season will have 14 tournaments staged around the world. These are:

• LIV Golf Riyadh

• LIV Golf Adelaide

• LIV Golf Hong Kong

• LIV Golf Singapore

• LIV Golf Miami

• LIV Golf Mexico City

• LIV Golf Korea

• LIV Golf Washington, D.C.

• LIV Golf Dallas

• LIV Golf Andalucía

• LIV Golf UK

• LIV Golf Chicago

• LIV Golf Indianapolis

LIV Golf format

Each tournament is a standard 54-hole stroke play event, with the player shooting the lowest score after 54 holes being declared the tournament winner.

Regarding the team element, the top three players' scores on the first two days of competition count towards the team score, with all four scores counting on the third and final day.

The top eight teams earn points in the team standings, which are used to determine the seedings for the season-ending Team Championship.

Unlike most tournaments, where players all start from the first hole (or for some events, the first and the 10th holes), LIV Golf tournaments start on all 18 holes, to get all players out on the course at the same time, ensuring similar finish times for every player.

LIV Golf promotion and relegation

While LIV Golf leans into the team aspect, individuals can also be promoted and relegated from the league.

The players finishing 49th and below - and are not team captains - will be relegated, though they can re-enter the league via LIV Golf Promotions, which saw Lee Chieh-po promoted for the 2025 season.

LIV Golf teams

There are 13 teams in LIV Golf, each with four players on each (substitutes are available should any players be unable to play a given tournament). The teams are as follows:

• 4Aces GC

• Cleeks GC

• Crushers GC

• Fireballs GC

• HyFlyers GC

• Iron Heads GC

• Legion XIII

• Majesticks GC

• RangeGoats GC

• Ripper GC

• Smash GC

• Stinger GC

• Torque GC