If Rory McIlroy can move on, surely it’s time for Australia’s last remaining LIV Golf doomsayers to do likewise.
The purists might not agree, nor the myriad Greg Norman haters, but the vast majority of neutral observers will be celebrating Sunday’s announcement that golf’s breakaway tour will be returning to Adelaide for at least three more years, and potentially until 2031.
The three tournaments staged so far at The Grange in the South Australian capital have been spectacularly successful, attracting huge crowds to watch some of the best players on the planet.
And at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about? Regardless of your political and ideological viewpoints, if Australia’s best option for hosting elite golf is LIV, it’s difficult to see how we’re in any position to be fussy.
The concept of Saudi Arabian “sportswashing”, where the government uses its enormous wealth to fund sporting events, has been widely criticised due to the undemocratic nature of the monarchy, its role in the assassination of dissident Jamal Khashoggi and a host of other human rights abuses. And Norman has been widely lambasted for his role in spruiking the rebel league.
But even former critics such as McIlroy seem to be have abandoned their defensive positions, a tacit admission, perhaps, that LIV hasn’t yet destroyed the world as they know it.
Huge crowds followed Australian star Cameron Smith at the LIV event in Adelaide.Credit: Getty Images
“I think everyone has just got to get over it,” former world No.1 McIlroy declared last week after the British and US opens made changes to make it easier for LIV golfers to qualify for their tournaments.
“If people are hurt, or have their feelings hurt because guys went [to play with LIV] or whatever, like who cares? Let’s move forward together and let’s just try to get this thing going again and do what’s best for the game.”
The players who competed at Adelaide, and the tens of thousands who cheered them on, will surely second that.
The traditional Australian golf circuit faces an annual battle to attract drawcards, which is perhaps understandable given that the top-end players are all multimillionaires and, as such, inherently selective about where and when they play.
They prioritise the majors and then, naturally enough, the events that deliver the most lucrative pay cheques, followed by those that fit best into their schedules. Hence, for most of the foreign superstars, Australia does not feature prominently on their to-do list.
It’s a long flight Down Under and the combined prizemoney on offer for the Australian Open, the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Masters is probably barely enough to refuel private jets for the trip home.
Patrick Reed lands a hole in one on day one at Adelaide.Credit: LIV GOLF
Australian players such as Cameron Smith and Adam Scott do their best to patronise these tournaments in their home country, but that is presumably out of a sense of duty, rather than a burning desire to add to their trophy collections or bank balances.
As for the big guns from overseas, many ask for appearance fees that are simply beyond the parameters of Golf Australia’s budget.
In contrast, let’s drop some names from the Adelaide LIV event held over the weekend: John Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson De Chambeau, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia and Smith. All of whom have been there, won that and are expected to return to Adelaide again in 2026, and potentially for years to come.
Obviously, they are contractually committed to play, but by the same token, the players love the vibe of the well-lubricated crowd in Adelaide, best encapsulated by the eruption after Patrick Reed’s first-round ace on the par-three “watering hole” on Friday.
Joaquin Niemann celebrates his victory in the Adelaide LIV tournament on Sunday with a “shoey”.Credit: Getty Images
“As a player, that gets you excited,” five-time major winner Koepka said of the party atmosphere. “They do a phenomenal job here. All the fans are incredible here, and I think I can speak for every player, there’s so much excitement and buzz coming to this place.”
Smith echoed those sentiments in recalling last year’s tournament: “The sun was setting, there was this DJ set, lights going off everywhere, fireworks … it was awesome.”
The feeling is clearly mutual, judging by the sell-out attendances. And given that LIV is golf done differently – with its 54-hole format and teams event – it is also capturing the attention of a broader market.
For example, take NSW State of Origin rugby league coach Laurie Daley, a fan of most sports, but no golf aficionado.
As Daley explained on his Big Sports Breakfast radio show, during his channel surfing over the weekend he stumbled on the LIV broadcast. He sounded slightly surprised to tell his listeners that he locked in and “thoroughly enjoyed it”.
It sounds like he’s a convert, and that’s why Adelaide’s LIV extravaganza is so important. Without it, Australian golf will continue to languish a fairway behind the rest of the world.
