LIV Golf is a new controversial professional golf league competing with the PGA that has grown massively in popularity over the last four months. Most of the league’s rules are similar to the PGA, but there are a few differences. LIV only plays three rounds in each event compared to the PGA’s four. In total, LIV golfers play 54 rounds per event, thus the name LIV (54 in roman numerals). They also do not make any cuts during the 54 holes. All players who compete in the LIV event must finish. Big players from the PGA have even joined the league. Names like Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, and Cameron Smith have joined LIV.
The main reason they’ve been able to get all these superstars: money. LIV’s strategy has been to pay big-name golfers a lot of money to lure them away from the established brand of the PGA. Another reason players like LIV is because they get paid to show up and then get extra money if they win. In contrast, in the PGA, a player earns money depending on where a player finishes in a tournament. LIV is also very relaxed with the number of events they have. LIV golf will only have 14 events each season compared to the PGA’s 47 events. Players who join LIV get significantly more money per match. The reason why LIV is controversial right now is because of who is paying the checks. LIV golf is getting almost all of its money from Saudi Arabia, a country that commits many human rights violations. Critics also disagree with LIV’s more relaxed and laid-back approach compared to the rigid, traditional PGA.
