“We didn’t sign up to play for 72”: Bryson DeChambeau not thrilled by LIV Golf format overhaul

Nobody expected the opening week of the 2026 LIV Golf League season to be this contentious, but here we are after a brutal and direct shot from star player Bryson DeChambeau aimed squarely at the tour's new tournament structure. The league, which was established with a 54-hole, three-round format, has adapted to a more familiar 72-hole, four-day setup this year after being heavily supported by Saudi money. The adjustment has been implemented to align LIV Golf more closely with the format used by major international tours and to make a stronger case for world ranking recognition.

Although some players have welcomed the decision, it is clear to unsettle others. DeChambeau, a major coup for LIV when the circuit launched in 2022, acknowledged that the fresh course wasn't what he signed up for. His remarks have reignited controversy regarding LIV Golf's pivot away from the original, unique concept on which it was founded.

Bryson DeChambeau questions the shift in format

DeChambeau did not hold back when asked about the changes ahead of the season opener in Riyadh. Speaking to reporters, he admitted that he was uncertain about how the longer format would affect him and the league as a whole. “Hopefully it weighs positively on me over the course of time, but you never know. I’m not sure. We didn’t sign up to play for 72,” he said to Ben Parsons and Alex Perry of Today's Golfer.


The American golfer’s frustration mirrors a broader concern among parts of the LIV roster. The breakaway circuit was supposed to be a faster, more compact version of professional golf, appealing to many players, at least at the outset. Shunning tradition with a 54-hole model paired with shotgun starts and a team-based competition meant turning away from the standard product that fans of the game grew up with. The 72-hole model makes LIV events closer to traditional-style PGA Tour events and provides fodder for questioning whether the league is losing its soul.

What the overhaul means for LIV Golf’s future

The move to make tournaments four rounds is viewed by many as a bid to earn more legitimacy in the broader golf landscape. LIV Golf has repeatedly come up short in its attempts to award Official World Golf Ranking points, as critics suggested the tour's older format failed to maintain the standards of competition. To further eliminate that hurdle and gain a wider audience, league officials are looking to move closer to conventional structures.

It is a transition not without its bumps in the road. DeChambeau's airing of doubts in public is the latest sign that some players with LIV Golf may not be entirely comfortable with its direction, and several high-profile players have already walked away from LIV Golf in recent months. Those in favor of the change say that longer events will boost competitiveness and stature, while those opposed comment that LIV is in danger of becoming a version of the tours that it first sought to upend.


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