Phil Mickelson believes LIV Golf could well expand to 72 holes from its current 54-hole format in the future, but a major obstacle to making that change lies in the path.
Phil Mickelson’s prediction that LIVGolf is about to move to a 72-hole format may well be denied by one key issue: the name of the breakaway league.
Mickelson discussed the prospect of the Saudi-backed series expanding from 54-hole tournaments to 72-hole, four-round tournaments after returning to Augusta National during last week’s Masters. “We have mini-tours at 54, Champions Tour at 54,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some or all of the LIV events made it to 72. I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. I enjoy the competition.”
The comments came after his fellow LIV star Jon Rahm called on the separatist circuit to adopt the same format for its events, a point it had already been keen to emphasize during the first Saudi change last December.
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“If there was a way for LIV to get to 72 holes, I think that would help this whole debate a lot,” Rahm told the BBC. “The closer I think we can get to LIV Golf to other things, the better. I think it would take some sort of unification to power a world tour or something like that.
“I don’t know if I’m alone in this, but I certainly wouldn’t mind going back to 72 holes.” The move to four-round tournaments would undoubtedly help LIV seek recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), as the league continues to hold its events without offering OWGR points to participants.
The rankings system cited the league’s limited, no-cut hole format as one of the main reasons for its decision to reject LIV’s request for OWGR points last October. As Mickelson mentioned, the move to 72 holes in theory seems somewhat inevitable if it is to continue to progress alongside the PGA Tour.
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This could, however, be a change that is never realized due to the branding at the center of the league. The circuit name “LIV” derives from the Roman numerals of the number 54, symbolizing the league’s commitment to hosting three-round tournaments. A move to 72 holes would of course disappear the meaning of the LIV brand, something those in charge are undoubtedly reluctant to do.
One man who thinks the league should continue to host 54-hole events rather than the traditional 72 is 2023 individual champion Talor Gooch. “It’s just funny to me, this arbitrary number of 72,” he said this week. “Why isn’t it 90? “Why isn’t it 108?
“We just decided to make that number the number, for what reason? Everyone talked about world ranking points and all that, but no one talked about what the fans value the most? People want something that’s going to be more exciting. And I personally think the 54 holes are more exciting for the fans.
