Premier Peter Malinauskas is fighting to keep LIV Golf Adelaide in SA amid a bold bid by Victoria’s opposition party
The Victorian Liberals want to steal LIV Golf from SA in a cheeky bid to bring the blockbuster to Melbourne – but Premier Peter Malinauskas is confident he can lock the event in here.
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The Victorian opposition’s deputy leader has signalled he wants to snatch LIV Golf from Adelaide, but SA Premier Peter Malinauskas is confident a deal can be struck to keep the blockbuster here.
Liberal major events spokesman Sam Groth is in Adelaide for this year’s tournament, meeting with LIV’s former chief executive Greg Norman and Mr Malinauskas, as they enjoyed the action from Grange Golf Club’s Watering Hole on Saturday.
Mr Groth confirmed he had met with the league’s powerbrokers with an eye to bringing the hugely successful event to Melbourne.
“I’ve met them while I’ve been over here, absolutely,’’ he said.
“They’re happy here but it’s a pretty good event and would fit in well within the Victorian calendar.”
But Mr Malinauskas said negotiations with LIV Golf’s new chief executive, Scott O’Neil, had progressed positively on Saturday. He said he was confident a long-term agreement will be reached to keep LIV in Adelaide beyond the current contract, which expires in 2026.
“There’s a bit more to do tomorrow morning but they’re heading in the right direction,” he said on Saturday evening.
“We’re in a stronger position now than we were at the beginning of the day, that’s for sure.
“There’s certainly interest from other states but we’ve come to expect this. Time and time again … we invest and build up events and then someone tries to take it away from us.
“I really want to avoid that here. I think we can and I’m confident we will but it’s never over til it’s signed.”
Tens of thousands of golf fans flooded Grange’s fairways on Saturday, unfazed by light showers and gusty winds.
The grandstands erupted with applause and roared with energy as the players showcased their skills in the tricky conditions.
Australian superstar Cameron Smith had a disappointing day on the course but fans of all ages were just excited to see him in action.
The Devitt sisters, Milla, 11, and Airlie, 10, along with their father Sam trekked from Warnertown to catch a glimpse of the Rippers GC captain in action.
Another girl group of six, with sunnies on deck and beers in hand, were in attendance to see Smith — and also show their support for the South Australian event.
“It’s really cool to see this event in Adelaide. It’s cool to see so many people here,” said Charlotte Thomson, one of the six girls.
“I feel like we don’t host a lot of big things and so a taste of golf is pretty cool,” said Ruby McHaffie, another one in the group.
The girls nodded in unison and exclaimed that golf was a sport “for the girls”, vowing to come back again next year.
Later in the afternoon, the clouds gave way and the sun shone, bringing some energy back onto the green.
Many patrons brought their A-game, dressed in ensembles of matching fluorescent shirts and faces painted with their favourite teams’ colours.
A banana-cladded gang of six, fondly referred to as ‘the bananas’, caught a flight from Melbourne to enjoy the party at the iconic Watering Hole.
“We’re here for the weekend, for all three days just to see some good golf,” said Garrison Asciak, one of ‘the bananas’.
Their player to watch — American Bryson DeChambeau — was also having a hard time fighting the winds that seemed to plague the course.
Although he had a decent start to the day, DeChambeau’s 13th hole had him putting off course and jumping onto a fan’s home balcony to hit his second shot.
LIV Golf will wrap up on Sunday, with a last chance for sports fans to check out some of the world’s best golfers in Adelaide for another year.
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Originally published as Premier Peter Malinauskas is fighting to keep LIV Golf Adelaide in SA amid a bold bid by Victoria’s opposition party
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