LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil Targets Global Domination

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil hopes the OWGR will eventually recognize his tour as the “strongest strength of field in international golf” as he set out his plans for the future.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Al Arabiya, O’Neil welcomed the fact that the Official World Golf Ranking board decided to hand out points to LIV – especially with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour having a vote in the matter.

He still feels LIV has been hard done to by only having the top 10 finishers in each event gaining these OWGR points, especially since his tour boast what he describes as “the greatest, deepest, most talented” field.

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And it’s a focus of O’Neil to align LIV Golf’s future very much with markets outside of the USA, and he’s very confident in the product as he says LIV will become “the most dominant global sports league in the world.”

Firstly, on the world ranking points scenario, O’Neil saw the upside of direct competitors the PGA Tour and DP World Tour actually voting for LIV to be recognized, even though he’s not happy with the split.

“What a great testament that the two tours who have the most to lose in the world are actually voting members on that board,” O’Neil told Al Arabiya.

“Can you imagine it’s the commissioner of the PGA, the head of the DP World Tour and so from our perspective what a great vote of confidence for them to say ‘Okay, we’ll give you points’.

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“Now, on the other hand it’s a bit unprecedented. In every other event that they have across the hundreds of tours that they sanction, if there are no cuts only 15% of the field gets no points.

“In our case, it’s 82% of the field, so that didn’t feel great.

“And I’m hoping that this is the first step of many steps up the flight of stairs where we’ll actually be ranked and recognized where we actually should be, which I think is the greatest, deepest, most talented, strongest strength of field in international golf in the world.”

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There was a rare update on the forgotten PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger talks, which O’Neil says are still ongoing but with no real end in sight.

But what is becoming clear is that LIV Golf could start to move away from the United States and focus more on a global strategy – with currently nine countries featuring in the 13 events announced for 2026.

“The PGA Tour is a tremendous tour,” added O’Neil. “I think their entire focus is on the US. So, strategically, it would make sense if we’re the dominant tour outside the US and we continue to have talks back and forth.

“Sometimes they heat up, sometimes they slow down, but our entire focus right now is starting this season.”

O’Neil lavished praise on Saudi PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who has sanctioned around $5 billion of funding so far for LIV Golf, and believes much bigger things are to come for the team tour.

“We have this chance to go try and test new things and what you’re seeing is just the start,” said O’Neil.

“For us, this is such an evolution of progress. And I think you’ve just started to see the early beginnings of what’s going to be the most dominant global sports league in the world.”

‘Personalities who matter’ play on LIV

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Also commenting on the increased team prize money on LIV this year, O’Neill said: “Can you imagine showing up for your day job and playing for $30 million over the course of a weekend? It’s not too bad.”

And he also says he fully backs the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson building up their online following – and believes all of golf’s biggest personalities now play on LIV.

“I think what you’ve seen for the first time in golf, most of the personalities who matter have congregated into one league, and that’s LIV,” he added.

“And with that there’s so much personality and so much fun and social media, and particularly YouTube golf has absolutely taken off, but their Instagram channels are just as good.

“Phil Mickelson is another one. He’s 55 years old and he’s embraced Grant Horvat and grown his channel at a rapid, rapid rate. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s instructive but probably most importantly to me is locks in right on our mission to grow the game.

“Sometimes we grow the game by the incredible fans that will come out this weekend. Other times we’ll travel in the airport and we’ll meet fans.

“Other times it’s during practice rounds, we get the chance to reach an event with kids and sometimes it’s social media and however we can inspire the next generation of golfers in the world.”

LIV Golf CEO Says OWGR Move ‘Didn’t Feel Great’ But Welcomes Ranking Points – YouTube

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