Future of LIV Golf event in Adelaide remains unclear after merger shock

While the billion-dollar golf merger was lauded as good for the game, it’s left questions about the LIV event in Adelaide.

Talor Gooch celebrates winning LIV Golf’s Adelaide event. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The South Australian government signed a four-year contract to host the LIV Golf event in Adelaide, but it remains unclear what the new merger means for the future of the tournament.

Contacted in the wake of the shock announcement that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf would end two years of animosity and unify as a larger commercial business, a LIV official conceded there were still “a ton of questions” with little light shed on what the future looks like.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas confirmed that he reached out to both LIV officials and chief executive Greg Norman after the shock news filtered through, confident it was “all upside” for the event despite a raft of unknowns about what the LIV schedule could look like in 2024.

“We hope that it’s all upside. I think what it will mean is a greater degree of cross-pollination between players from the US PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which means better events presumably,” he told 5AA in Adelaide.

“I was in touch with LIV executives including a bit of correspondence with Greg Norman. They are very bullish about what this means for them.

“We’ll be keeping a close eye on that as news emerges, I think there is a long way to go between LIV and the US PGA, but as far as we are concerned, we see only potential upside.”

Chase Koepka celebrates a hole in one in Adelaide. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

When asked about the future of LIV after the merger announcement, PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan said he would be conducting a “comprehensive empirical evaluation” before any decisions are made.

“We‘re in a framework agreement. We haven’t concluded the definitive agreement. I have not had the opportunity that I’m going to have to conduct a comprehensive empirical evaluation,” he said.

“I don‘t want to make any statements or make any predictions. But what is in place is a commitment to make a good-faith effort to look at team golf and the role it can play going forward.”

Monahan said it would be unlikely players would float between PGA Tour and LIV branded events.

“I can‘t see that scenario, but I haven’t gotten into the full evaluation, full empirical evaluation of LIV that I’m going to do to be able to comment on that. But I don’t see that scenario, no,” he said.

The sold-out event in Adelaide in April – the biggest-attended event in the breakaway tour’s fledgling existence, attracting more than 77,000 people across three days – was regarded as a watershed moment for Norman’s Saudi-backed league.

Pictures of packed fairways and stands, including when Chase Koepka was showered with drinks after making a hole-in-one at the “Watering Hole” at Adelaide’s The Grange golf club, went viral and LIV officials lauded it as the “benchmark event”.

“What LIV has been crying out for is legitimacy, and the first place they got that was right here in Adelaide,” Malinauskas said.

“I think the success in Adelaide has undoubtedly contributed to the reconciliation. My job and the SA TC’s focus will now be making sure that future events in our city grow on the back of that.”

The crowd lapped up LIV’s Adelaide tournament. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Adelaide even also hastened moves to get a second LIV event in Australia, possibly as soon as 2024, with Queensland looming as the most likely home despite interest from several states.

As part of the new arrangement with the Saudi government’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the major backer that has invested $2bn in LIV, the groups will “work to establish a cohesive schedule”.

The LIV event in Adelaide was one of 14 in 2023, and Norman had spoken about having that many again in 2024.

But with the PGA Tour now opening the door for all LIV players who had their memberships revoked, including Australian star Cameron Smith, to rejoin, the make-up of the 2024 LIV tour remains unclear.

Smith joined LIV for a reported $140m in 2022, with the ability to play at home in Australia more regularly one of the great drivers of his decision to leave the PGA Tour with “no regrets”.

After playing in front of the massive galleries in Adelaide, Smith said he hoped it would be “bigger next year” and a second Australian event would be added to the calendar.

“To be honest. I think we do more stuff, get more people in here,” he said.

“I mean, there’s obviously a want in Australia for really high-quality golf. And I think the fans here really enjoyed what LIV offers and there’s no reason why we can’t make it bigger.

“Part of my reason to play was to have an event here and if we got a second one, that makes so much difference to things.”