LIV Golf’s stars, worth more than a billion dollars, at SkyCity Adelaide for the tour’s exclusive welcome party

Some of the world’s highest-paid athletes – estimated to be worth over a billion dollars combined – descended on SkyCity Adelaide for LIV Golf’s exclusive welcome party.

Some of the world’s highest-paid athletes – estimated to be worth over a billion dollars combined – descended on SkyCity Adelaide for LIV Golf’s annual welcome party, ahead this week’s event that has been described as the tour’s “Super Bowl”.

A cavalcade of the sport’s biggest names walked the red carpet at Festival Plaza on Wednesday night for the exclusive soiree in the SkyCity ballroom.

Among the 500 guests at the lavish event included LIV tour stars such as Spaniard Jon Rahm, Americans Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson, and British duo Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.

Jon Rahm, one of the biggest names in world golf, is in Adelaide for the LIV tournament. Picture: Pedro Salado/Getty Images

They were joined by Australian major winner Cameron Smith, who is one of five locals in the Adelaide field, alongside fellow Ripper GC stars Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones, and South Australian Wade Ormsby.

On the star-studded guest list, eager to rub shoulders with golf’s elite, were footy players Jordan Dawson, Zak Butters, Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty and Errol Gulden, plus interstate celebrities Dylan Alcott, Hugh Sheridan and Grace Hayden.

After two hugely successful Adelaide tournaments in April 2023 and 2024, the breakaway tour moved this year’s three-day event forward to February, which will kick off at Grange Golf Club on Friday.

Henrik Stenson arrives at EOS by SkyCity Adelaide, during LIV Golf Adelaide, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. Picture: Matt Loxton

Surfer Mick Fanning on the red carpet. Picture: Benjamin Liew

The 52-man playing field will play for a $30 million purse in the individual event, and another $8 million will be dished out to the top teams.

That’s mega dollars for most, but LIV golf’s recruits are used to huge pay days.

Rahm was reportedly lured across with a multi-year deal worth almost $500 million, while Mickelson, one of the sport’s all-time greats and a six-time major winner, pocketed a rumoured $320 million. A host of other top players secured nine-figure sign-on fees to join the 14-event rebel tour.

So far it’s been money well-spent with Australian fans flocking to Grange’s fairways during the first two years of LIV. Up to 100,000 people are expected to walk through the gates over the weekend, after 94,000 fans attended last year.

Golfers Matt Jones, Cam Smith and Marc Leishman at the EOS SkyCity party. Picture: Matt Loxton

Golfers Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Luis Masaveu and David Puig at the opening party. Picture: Matt Loxton

LIV star Leishman said everyone was “pumped” to be back in Adelaide, which has been crowned the World’s Best Golf Event at the World Golf Awards two years in a row.

“The golf course is amazing, the fans are passionate... but the big thing for me is it’s not just what happens on the course – the whole city is buzzing,” the Victorian said.

“You’re walking down the street or having dinner and people are yelling out at you, they’re excited to have us here. As a golfer, it’s awesome to be embraced like that.”

American Brendan Steele, who secured last year’s individual title, described Adelaide as the pinnacle of the tour.

“It’s our best event, it’s our flagship event, there’s big smiles from me as soon as I land here,” he said.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and his wife, Annabel West. Picture: Sarah Reed

Speaker of state parliament Leon Bignell on the red carpet. Picture: Sarah Reed

“I love it here, I love the support we get from the fans and the city. It’s a really special week and the whole LIV golf crew is excited. This is our Super Bowl.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas declared that this year’s tournament will be “bigger and better”, with more hospitality areas and grandstands, a new fan village and an entertainment line-up highlighted by Dom Dolla, the Jungle Giants and Fisher.

“The buzz around this event cannot be overstated, and it means South Australia is being seen and talked about not just here in Australia, but across the world,” he said.

SkyCity Adelaide has partnered with LIV for this year’s event, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Adelaide Casino.

“That’s a terrific history of unforgettable experiences at South Australia’s home of entertainment. We are thrilled to partner with LIV as the official location for fans to enjoy their entertainment,” said SkyCity Adelaide managing director Avril Baynes.

There will be several interactive experiences throughout SkyCity’s venues during the tournament, including a Pirate Life pop-up bar in the SkyCity Atrium and a 3-hole putt-putt challenge spread across the Atrium, The District on Level 1, and SOL Rooftop on Level 9.

Steele said he hopes Adelaide will remain host of Australia’s sole LIV Golf event beyond next year. Adelaide is contracted to host LIV Golf’s Australian event until 2026 but interstate cities have been circling.

“I want it to stay here, I think this is the right spot it. This is really incredible,” he said.

“You can always make improvements but we’re doing pretty amazing here.”

LIV golf stars’ estimated sign-on fees plus 2024 tour earnings ($AUS)

Jon Rahm – $475 million + $55 million = $530 million

Phil Mickelson – $320 million + $3.7 million = $323.7 million

Brooks Koepka – $205 million + $18.5 million = $223.5 million

Dustin Johnson – $200 million + $12.5 million = $212.5 million

Bryson DeChambeau – $200 million + $10 million = $210 million

Joaquin Riemann – $160 million + $45 million = $205 million

Cam Smith – $140 million + $15 million = $155 million

Tyrell Hatton – $100 million + $19 million = $119 million

Henrik Stenson – $80 million + $4.7 million = $84.7 million

Patrick Reed – $80 million + $8.2 million = $88.2 million

Sergio Garcia – $65 million + $21.6 million = $86.6 million

Bubba Watson – $45 million + $3.2 million = $48.2 million

Taylor Gooch – $30 million + $9.8 million = $39.8 million

Lee Westwood – $30 million + $4.6 million = $34.6 million

Ian Poulter – $30 million + $4.5 million = $34.5 million

Hidden history beneath Grange Golf Club

By Talara McHugh

All eyes will be on Adelaide this weekend as LIV Golf makes its highly anticipated return to the Grange Golf Club – but many don’t know the history that lies beneath the putting green.

Long before the course came to be, it was the site of Beach Energy’s first well, located under what is now the 9th hole on the club’s east course.

While their attempt at a hole-in-one at Grange didn’t result in a successful well, Beach managing director and CEO Brett Woods was proud to see its legacy live on.

“Beach is a South Australian company that has been supporting local jobs and delivering critical energy security for more than 60 years,” he said.

“As we continue to grow, we proudly embody the same pioneering spirit that kicked off our first well at Grange which is now home to another true pioneering initiative in LIV Golf – an event that showcases South Australia as a premier destination for international events.”

Beach Energy's first ever well, Grange 1, in 1962, is now Grange Golf Course’s 9th hole.

The well, Grange-1, was drilled in the beachside suburb in 1962, giving the company their name Beach Petroleum, now Beach Energy.

The land itself was once a massive sandy swamp home to snakes and mosquitoes and was deemed unsuitable for agricultural purposes.

Golf wasn’t played on the land until 1910, with local golfers later banding together to form a committee to lease 120 acres and develop a course, now known as the West course, in 1926.

The following year play commenced on 13 rough but completed holes, with golf architect Vern Malcolm commissioned to revamp the course’s 18 greens and 18 tees after World War II.

The Victorian was called in once again to design the 18-hole East course, which opened in 1967 and was redeveloped by Greg Norman Golf Course Design in 2012.