What's Next On The LIV Golf To-Do List?

It's been a pretty good off-season for LIV Golf to say the least, with all-important TV deals, a young superstar joining the ranks and then a much-needed breakthrough in the Majors.

But what else is left on the to-do list for new CEO Scott O'Neil after taking over from Greg Norman?

Tom McKibbin ignoring Rory McIlroy's advice to join Jon Rahm's Legion XIII was a win for the Saudi-backed circuit, as was securing a TV deal with FOX in the USA, before then adding a UK broadcasting deal with ITV was the icing on the cake.

Receiving a clear pathway for entry into the US Open was perhaps the biggest breakthrough of all in for the players, while bringing in Rick Shiels and his massive online audience will undoubtedly boost views and brand recognition in that space.

From the very loud and very combative early days, LIV is now going about its business a bit more seriously and a lot more quietly, but there are still a few things O'Neil will want to sort out moving forward.

Qualifying pathway for the other Majors

The USGA announced an exemption plan for LIV Golf, with any player in the top three of the LIV individual standings in May not already qualified getting straight into the US Open.

There's also scope for players to get directly into the final 36-hole qualifier for the US Open in a big move to find a clear pathway directly from LIV into that Major tournament.

Now, will the other three Majors follow? The Masters will be difficult as a limited field even, but it has again given Joaquin Niemann a special invite for the second year running.

Niemann and Sergio Garcia have also been invited to play at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and we'll now wait to see what The Open does and if the R&A do something similar.

It's only the USGA that has offered a definitive pathway though, so O'Neil and his LIV Golf executives would like to try and get some firm agreements in place with the other three - as having Major places up for grabs is huge in terms of legitimising the tour.

Getting players back on the PGA Tour

This may be more for the big wigs at the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF, and it's seen by many as a big sticking point in negotiations, but it would be pretty big for LIV Golf to get this done.

Whether audiences are dwindling or not, the PGA Tour is still the biggest fish in the golfing sea, and having LIV golfers back playing in some of those big events will only help with its brand awareness.

Again, having Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton back on TV screens in PGA Tour events also gives a more legitimate look for LIV Golf, and not to mention a good measuring stick for the competition if those guys do well.

It would also help further signings if players knew they could also still play on the PGA Tour in some way, as LIV golfers are currently banned and have to serve out a 12-month suspension from their final day in LIV.

This one is a real headache to try and solve, but it would be a huge bonus if they could.

Increasing the importance of the team element

As Peter Uihlein told us in a Golf Monthly exclusive, he'd love to make the team element a bigger priority in LIV Golf moving forward.

The team aspect has been championed from the start as a huge selling point for players and fans alike, but apart from wearing the same gear and doing commercial deals is it that much of a big deal?

Changes have been made this year to make all four scores on each team count in all three rounds in order to make every round from every player count in the team standings.

That's great, but the team competition still seems a bit of an afterthought during the actual competition - with Uihlein suggesting that more prominance and essentially more prize money should be directed towards team results.

Could there even be more team golf competition than just the season finale? That would make LIV a truly different event then to regular tournaments

Revisit world ranking points saga

OK, so this one seems unlikely and LIV Golf moved on from trying to get OWGR recognition during Greg Norman's tenure, but there's a new man at the helm now though and seemingly a new softly, softly approach.

So maybe there is a deal to be done? Maybe a calmer approach and a sit down with OWGR bosses to discuss what could be done, if anything, to garner some form of points or whether it really is out of the question.

Jon Rahm believes it's wrong that LIV Golf has no OWGR points and others agree, even despite the obvious format problems.

But if the PGA Tour-PIF deal is getting closer, and if O'Neil sits down with OWGR bosses and goes through the issues then you never know, and after all, having top golfers way down the ranking and facing questions of its own legitimacy does the OWGR no favors.

It would be a huge boost if LIV sorted it, that's for sure.