The future of professional golf remains uncertain amid the ongoing framework agreement, but Greg Norman is keen for LIV to get bigger and better heading into 2024.
LIV Golf boss Greg Norman has revealed he is hoping to expand the success of the breakaway circuit’s maiden event in Adelaide earlier this year across the full schedule in 2024.
The Saudi-backed series headed down under to Norman’s native home for the very first time this year, with Adelaide playing host in April. The event was arguably LIV’s most succesful yet, with an electric Aussie crowd descending on The Grange to watch the 54-hole tournament.
Most of the atmosphere was generated by the par-three 12th at the Adelaide course, aptly named the ‘Watering Hole’ by tournament organisers, with a grand stand decked out with bars and terracing horseshoeing its way around the hole.
Infamously the now relegated LIV star Chase Koepka – younger brother of five-time major champion Brooks – landed a memorable hole-in-one in round three to spark wild scenes, as those watching tossed their drinks into the air and onto the playing surface, similar to the iconic 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour.
The Watering Hole and the event was well-received by many, and now Norman is hoping he can make it bigger and better in 2024, as well transcending the same atmosphere across all 14 events on the schedule. He told Australian Golf Digest : “I think the success of the watering hole could be expanded because of the popularity of it.
“I think you can get more spectators around there. We used LIV Adelaide as the benchmark for all our other 13 events around the world. Because it created the real culture of what LIV is about: the energy, the lifestyle, the mainstream of the entertainment fan community.
“All of that is there and it’s Adelaide who takes on the task. The thought process and the collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office and his team, I think it could be very doable.” Norman’s comments seem to suggest that setting LIV in 2024 is business as usual.
In recent months, the future of professional golf has remained uncertain, after the PGA Tour announced a shock framework agreement with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) in June. The deal is expected to see the Tour partnering with rivals LIV, as well as working alongside their DP World Tour allies.
With negotiations ongoing, doubt has been cast over the deal in recent weeks amid, with PIF seemingly facing investment rivalry elsewhere to work alongside the PGA Tour. Late last month, Fire Pit Collective’s Alan Shipnuck reported that the ongoing framework agreement was ‘falling apart’ amid interest from elsewhere.
Both the Tour and PIF set a December 31 deadline for the deal to be signed off, but numerous reports have since claimed that this is set to be extended due to the slow nature of the discussions. Per Bunkered, the delay is said to be ‘not necessarily be a bad thing’, with the two sides keen to reach an agreement that suits all involved.