LIV Golf continues to build momentum with record-setting week in Adelaide

Greg Norman.

More than 94,000 fans flocked to The Grange Golf Club this past weekend for LIV Golf Adelaide, setting the record for the highest attendance at a LIV event to date.

“The support Australia gave me during my own playing career for decades was something I have never forgotten,” LIV CEO Greg Norman told Australian Golf Digest after the tournament. “It’s why I brought LIV Golf back home – I did it for them. The people have well and truly spoken. Both individual and team golf is alive and well in Australia and they deserve it. I knew they would support this event.”

And support they did. Droves of fans packed the grounds of The Grange for all three days, and it wasn’t just Australians. According to the LIV Golf website, more than 40 percent of ticket buyers were from out of state, and more than 30 different countries were represented in the crowd.

It’s inarguable that LIV is accomplishing its mission of growing the game around the world. Countries such as Australia and South Africa are starving for professional golf, but the PGA Tour only ventures out to Mexico, Canada and Scotland. LIV isn’t afraid to branch out to different countries, and it’s paid off with growing interest from around the globe.

Like it or not, LIV Golf is more popular than it’s ever been. Obviously, the addition of Jon Rahm gave the rival league a massive boost, but playing in countries that don’t get to watch big-time golf live is helping LIV eat into the PGA Tour’s popularity.

LIV Golf Adelaide wasn’t a perfect event by any stretch. Brendan Steele, a 41-year-old journeyman without much fanfare, won the individual competition, and the raucous crowd drilled Lucas Herbert’s caddie in the head with a water bottle while he was on the 12th green. Still, it was a positive step in LIV’s mission to become a prominent tour in professional golf. It’s not there yet, but LIV continues to build momentum with each passing week.

“I’m feeling extremely proud right now,” Norman said. “With what we’ve gone through over the past 16 months, both as a league and what I’ve copped personally, the hatred, this makes it all worthwhile.”

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