LIV Golf just concluded a hugely popular event in Adelaide, Australia.
The all-Australian team led by Ripper GC’s Cam Smith won the team category, while Highflyers GC’s Brendan Steele took the individual title. But that had little to do with why the event was considered a success.
tv set evaluation There was a lot of excitement on TV tonight, especially in Australia. The event also set a record with nearly 100,000 visitors over three days.
LIV CEO Greg Norman then joined Golf Digest Australia; talk about success. Norman didn’t say he was proven right, but he still managed to poke the bear.
“Validation is not the right word,” Norman said.
“It’s the ignorance of other people who simply couldn’t understand what we were trying to do. They now understand the true value of LIV Golf and want to be a part of it, so I I actually feel sorry for them.”
It is unclear who specifically is the “other” who currently recognizes the value of LIV Golf.
Grange Golf Club was packed with fans, but it was relatively small. This LIV event is most often compared to the WM Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour.
The event typically draws between 300,000 and 400,000 fans. Of course, the TV ratings for the Phoenix Open are also exponentially higher than any show LIV Golf has ever received.
It’s very likely that Norman was simply being carried away by his emotions. After all, Australia is his birthplace, and seeing relative success occur in his home country created a sense of pride.
“The support Australia has given me over the decades of my own playing career has been something I will never forget,” says Norman. “That’s why I brought LIV Golf home. I did it for them. People spoke well and honestly.”
Some truly wild scenes unfolded in Adelaide this week.
A fan chucked a water bottle and hit the caddy in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. Fans in attendance were able to get incredibly close to the golfer himself, and he even got close enough to be hugged.
It’s certainly a different experience than what PGA Tour fans are used to.
Mr. Norman is the Saudi-backed league’s most vocal supporter, but his name has been dragged into the mud. Still, he is undaunted.
“With what we have [LIV Golf] What we’ve been dealing with for the past 16 months, both as a league and for me personally…the hate…this makes it all worth it. ”
LIV appeared to be in its final stages following a framework agreement reached in June 2023 between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (LIV Golf’s beneficiary).
But since then, there has been little traction towards a deal. Even if an agreement is eventually reached, all signs point to LIV being around for quite some time into the future.
Kendall Capps is the senior editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through.For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough On all major social media platforms.
