The debate around the golf merger continues to draw attention from all sides. It hasn’t been long since Rory McIlroy called it impossible. His reason? The “irrational spending” by LIV. His argument centers on the financial model of LIV, its substantial payouts and guaranteed contracts, which significantly exceed traditional tour structures. However, the LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil didn’t stay quiet.

Speaking to journalist Gabby Herzig, he revealed his strategic thinking about player recruitment. “If you compare the strength of field – which I have, our team has – across the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, for the first 25 players, it’s pretty, pretty close,” O’Neil explained. “The next 25 is not as close, and so it’s incumbent upon us to make sure that we create enough pathways and that we’re given the opportunity to, without fines, suspensions, threats, so and so, that allows players the opportunity to come into this incredible league.”

O’Neil also discussed opportunities for player acquisition on a global scale. He said, “I see good growth potential in markets like Australia, Korea, the UK, North America, South Africa, Mexico, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Golf fans are everywhere.”

In an earlier interview, he talked about encouraging conversations with the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). He revealed that he is working closely with Trevor Immelman and the OWGR board to find a solution. “We expect this will have an impact soon. Trevor is doing an amazing job trying to find a solution that we hope will be ready by next season,” he told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

The change from 54-hole to 72-hole tournaments is a strategic decision. O’Neil acknowledged that sponsors and broadcasters want more airtime. The extra day allows for concerts, DJs, and fan activities that are part of LIV events. “Whatever it takes to get more people involved in this great game, we will do it,” he said. The name LIV will stay, despite the format change.

But O’Neill is not desperate for the full merger agreed in 2023 by the PGA Tour, LIV, and DP World Tour. Negotiations continue two and a half years later, but O’Neil believes different leagues can coexist. “The PGA Tour focuses on the US, and they do a great job. We are a global tour,” he said.

However, as Rory McIlroy highlighted, LIV Golf’s high financial commitments to young golfers affect not just the PGA Tour but the entire golfing world. The CEO’s confidence reflects LIV Golf’s long-term goals. However, the reality check comes from viewership data, which reveals the massive gap LIV still faces in capturing American audiences.

Numbers paint the picture: PGA Tour still rules

By mid-2025, viewership numbers clearly indicate that the PGA Tour remains more popular than LIV Golf. On Sundays when both tours held tournaments, the PGA Tour attracted over 3.1 million viewers for its final rounds, while LIV’s broadcasts only gathered around 175,000 viewers. This represents a staggering difference of approximately 18 to 1 in viewership.

Even during its best week of 2025, LIV struggled to close this gap. The league’s Miami event recorded the highest U.S. TV viewership, with roughly 484,000 people watching. In contrast, a comparable PGA Tour finals event drew nearly 2.1 million viewers. Furthermore, only about 338,000 viewers tuned in to 17 LIV Golf broadcasts on Fox throughout 2025.

This disparity in numbers reflects where most golf fans choose to watch professional tournaments. The PGA Tour’s resurgence in 2025 has also led to significant increases in viewership, with network media reporting a 22% rise in weekend viewership compared to 2024. Even LIV’s most successful weeks pale in comparison to these figures.

While LIV is working hard to establish its reputation and expand its audience globally, its U.S. viewership remains significantly smaller than that of the PGA Tour. This difference in audience numbers highlights the existing commitment and legacy of the established tour, underscoring the challenges a new league like LIV Golf faces in gaining recognition and legitimacy.