On the eve of LIV Golf’s 2024 season opener, the upstart league has announced several competitive format changes, including expanding its player roster from 48 to 54. LIV revealed alterations to counting team scores, prize money distribution, and qualification procedures in a statement released Thursday.
Summary
- LIV Golf expanding to 54 players in 2024, up from 48 previously
- 13 4-player teams plus 2 individual “Wild Card” spots
- For team competition, 3 best scores will count in Rounds 1-2, all 4 scores in final round
- Season-long individual standings retain Top 24 lock zone for 2025 spots
- Team Championship field cut to Top 12 teams plus 13th non-competing bonus team
Chief among the updates is the addition of a 13th 4-player squad, a team captained by recent high-profile signee Jon Rahm. LIV events will also now feature two individual “Wild Card” golfers not attached to any specific team. The Wild Card spots intend to provide lineup flexibility, potential avenues for qualifying, and invites for new talent.
When competition gets underway on Friday in Mexico, a different scoring system will take effect for determining team champions. The top three out of four scores counted daily in LIV’s inaugural seasons; now, all four scores will factor into the final round for each team.
The tweak aims to ratchet up pressure and incentivize full team performance when titles are on the line Sunday. “The competition updates for 2024 reflect a natural evolution of the LIV Golf League format,” said LIV Golf SVP David Benne on Thursday.
With six additional roster openings, the circuit has redistributed its $20 million individual purse breakdown as well. Payouts still reach $4 million for first and $120,000 for 48th in the expanded 54-man field. Prizes scale down from 49th onward, with all players guaranteed at least $50,000.
https://twitter.com/LIVGolfComms/status/1753141508444733457
Further individual competition incentives based on year-long points standings remain in place. The top 24 players at season’s end automatically lock up spots for the 2025 LIV campaign. Remaining non-contracted talent from 25th through 48th position must then either re-sign or join new teams to return.
The bottom six in rankings head to LIV’s Promotions Tournament, where they can play their way back onto the league roster. Meanwhile, the end-of-year Team Championship shifts from all 13 teams competing to just a top-12 seeded final bracket.
With an influx of new faces like Rahm and tweaked rules to accommodate more entrants, LIV Golf heads into its third year aiming to build on an eventful initial two seasons. If early returns are any indication, the league showcases no signs of stagnancy in its quest to keep evolving.
