The PGA Tour’s hopes of turning back some of LIV Golf’s biggest stars will have to wait, with almost half of Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed league players under multi-year contracts beyond this year.
On the same day LIV launched its first Australian event in front of a feverish crowd at Grange Golf Club in Adelaide on Friday, the long-term vision for the concept emerged, with team principals such as Australia’s Cameron Smith under varying deals.
According to sources speaking on the condition of anonymity, LIV’s contracting structure has more than a dozen of their players locked into extended deals, which are intended to allow team captains time to build franchises.
In the surest sign yet of Norman’s plan for LIV Golf to be a presence for years to come, players such as Smith, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau have also been presented business proposals to build their own training facilities, community centres and even courses.
It means any hope of the LIV roster significantly breaking up at the end of its 14-event season in 2023 are remote, with executives insisting they want their biggest defectors to build fan loyalty in coming years.
LIV’s short-term currency was given a massive injection in Australia with 25,000 fans flocking through the gates for the opening round of the $37 million event. Some were queued up outside the gates for hours before the field underwent a shotgun start.
Cameron Smith walks down the 18th fairway in front of massive crowds at Grange Golf Club.Credit: Getty
It has only encouraged Norman and LIV executives to consider bringing a second event to Australia, possibly as early as next year. Queensland remains the frontrunner given Smith’s connection to the state, with Adelaide already locked in on a deal to host a LIV tournament until at least 2026.
LIV will host nine of its 14 events in the United States this year as it tries to crack the American market, which has largely stayed loyal to the PGA Tour. Singapore will host the fifth tournament of the year next week, joining Mexico, Spain and England as the other overseas stops.
LIV’s schedule remains up in the air for 2024, but executives have privately debated whether a sixth event outside America and a second in Australia, is worth fast-tracking.
“I try and instil this value of understanding the future into some of the team captains and the players that are on LIV today because when you look into the future, you don’t look about what you’re doing today, you look about where you can be eight to 12 years from now, and that’s how you build your market out,” Norman said.
“You look into the future, you build into the future, and Asia is going to be a dynamic place to be able to do that.”
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
