LIV and let fly: Malinauskas over the moon with golf rights win

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas has announced the blockbuster event is set to stay in Adelaide, as the government looks to build a brand new world-class facility to ‘unlock’ the state’s golfing future.

Greg Norman, Peter Malinauskas and new LIV chief executive Scott O’Neil. Picture: Tim Joy

South Australian golfers have scored a hole-in-one with the LIV Golf Tournament to remain in Adelaide for at least another three years, Premier Peter Malinauskas announced on Sunday morning.

The professional men’s golf tour started overseas in 2022 before travelling down under, bringing “significant global attention” to the state.

“I am delighted to confirm that we have secured the rights to host LIV Golf in Adelaide until 2031,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“But more than that, I’m thrilled that we will be delivering something truly unique – world golf on the doorstep of one of the world’s most beautiful cities.”

At the forefront of the announcement is the investment in a redeveloped, world-class course at North Adelaide to take over from the Grange Golf Club, which has hosted the tournament since its debut in Adelaide in 2023.

“We see a big opportunity in North Adelaide. Getting LIV Golf into the city unlocks yet more economic potential,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“We’ll be signing an agreement that reflects this today … to build a brand new world-class, Greg Norman-designed championship golf course on the location of the North Adelaide site which will in turn trigger an option for LIV Golf to be extended until 2031. It will be one of the world’s best public golf courses.”

The Premier said the government had “preliminary numbers” of the redevelopment’s final cost.

Set to be designed by LIV’s former chief executive Greg Norman, the course is unlikely to be completed before 2028.

Norman, coined the “world’s best golf course designer”, said Adelaide had served the event brilliantly over the past three years. “LIV Golf Adelaide is the realisation of what LIV Golf can be around the world,” he added.

“As a golf course designer, you very seldom get the opportunity to be involved with a project downtown – (there are) very few opportunities in the world for that. So our job is not taken lightly.

“North Adelaide Golf Club is basically a diamond in the rough. And we’re going to unpick it for you.”

Various concept plans had already been drawn up, Norman confirmed. It comes after Mr Malinauskas and Norman were spotted enjoying the action at Grange Golf Club’s watering hole with Liberal major events spokesman Sam Groth on Saturday.

Mr Groth was reportedly eager to snatch up the blockbuster event, confirming he had met with the league’s powerbrokers in hopes of bringing the event over to Victoria.