LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil talks first year, the league’s future, and the road ahead

Scott O’Neil has officially hit the one–year mark as LIV Golf’s CEO, and he says he is even more bullish today than when he took the job 11 months ago.

With the 2026 season set to open in Riyadh and the league still trying to stabilize its identity, finances, and competitive credibility, O’Neil sat down with SBJ to break down where LIV Golf stands and where it is (hopefully) headed.

Why LIV Ditched 54 Holes for a 72-Hole Format

LIV made one of its biggest structural changes this fall, quietly announcing a shift to 72-hole tournaments beginning in 2026. According to O’Neil, the move was about one thing: the majors.

He said sentiment across the league was clear. If LIV players are going to compete on the biggest stages, their week-to-week format needs to match the majors. The decision also conveniently helps their latest push for Official World Golf Ranking points.

O’Neil confirmed LIV Golf resubmitted its OWGR application early in 2025 and that he has been in consistent communication with OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman.

He said LIV Golf has a “puncher’s chance” to receive points before the 2026 season but admitted there is still “a lot to do on both sides.”

Clearly, there’s more optimism than before, but nothing close to guaranteed.

The Financial Reality: LIV Golf Is Still Burning Cash

LIV posted a $460 million loss in 2024 (non-U.S. operations only), a number that puts into perspective how expensive this experiment continues to be. O’Neil said they’re still in the middle of building the league the right way: setting the strategy, finalizing the structure, and hiring the right people.

That process included new commercial partners such as HSBC and Salesforce, plus bringing on longtime sports executive Chris Heck as LIV’s new president.

O’Neil said the momentum is real and that LIV “exceeded expectations” in 2025, though expectations when he arrived were admittedly low.

The Brooks Koepka Question

Brooks Koepka has been one of LIV’s cornerstone players since 2022, yet his contract expires after the 2026 season. Multiple golf sources have suggested Koepka may not even play for LIV Golf in 2026 despite being signed.

O’Neil avoided specifics, sticking to LIV’s policy of not commenting on individual contracts, but did confirm Koepka is signed for 2026.

If Koepka ever seeks a PGA Tour return, things get complicated. Former LIV players have faced one-year suspensions before reentering the Tour, but none of them had an existing Tour card like Koepka. If he followed the same path, he could be eligible again around August 2026. That entire situation, however, is still a giant question mark.

The Relationship With PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp

O’Neil and new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp go back to Harvard Business School, and O’Neil has been publicly positive about Rolapp’s hiring. Asked how their conversations have gone since Rolapp took over, O’Neil said both agreed to keep discussions private.

He also offered an interesting prediction. The PGA Tour will remain the dominant player in the United States, while LIV aims to be the dominant global league. How those two entities coexist, cooperate, or collide is still undetermined.

Scott O’Neil clearly believes LIV Golf is trending upward.

The league still faces major credibility hurdles: financial losses, the OWGR fight, player uncertainty, perception issues, and long-term sustainability questions. Internally, O’Neil says LIV feels stronger than it did a year ago.

The next 12 months will reveal whether LIV is actually turning a corner or simply continuing an expensive global experiment waiting to be validated.

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