LIV Golf has announced plans for their 2023 season, with plans for two separate-but-connected schedules, as well as a system of promotion and relegation.
The LIV Golf League, dubbed the LIV Golf Invitational Series this year, will be played out over 14 events with the same 48 players throughout the entire schedule. The season will have 12 four-player "franchises" with each team featuring the same captain from event to event. The captains can trade and acquire players for their teams, as well as attract sponsors (through their agents). The LIV Golf League season will conclude with a team match-play championship.
Like this year, LIV Golf is planning its schedule around the weaker parts of the established international pro golf schedule. LIV Golf events will not be scheduled opposite the major championships, the Ryder Cup or so-called "heritage" events.
As anticipated from the start, LIV Golf will utilize the Asian Tour and their co-sanctioned International Series as a secondary tour that will feed into and out of the LIV Golf League. In 2023, the International Series will consist of 11 separate 72-hole events, with events spread out geographically.
LIV Golf League players will be "expected" to compete in a to-be-shared number of International Series events, which will be eligible to offer Official World Golf Ranking points to participants -- something that is not available through LIV Golf's 54-hole, shotgun-start events. International Series events this year have purses of $1.5 million to $2 million.
The top performers from the International Series will be promoted to the LIV Golf League, while the worst-performing players in the LIV Golf League could be relegated. LIV Golf is also pursuing a qualifying tournament.
All told, LIV Golf says the league and International Series will offer a combined $405 million in prize money between 25 events.
