Former Open champion launches fresh attack on ‘unwatchable’ LIV Golf
Three-time major champion Nick Price has a strong message for LIV Golf’s players who quit the PGA Tour after slamming the product served up by the breakaway circuit.
Former PGA Tour star Nick Price is not a fan of LIV Golf, claiming the Saudi Arabia-bankrolled breakaway tour will continue to struggle to attract fans.
LIV is currently in its third season after recruiting a number of top players from the PGA Tour, with more players such as reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm and 2022 Open winner Cameron Smith joining the league.
However, Price, who is 67 years old, thinks that commissioner Greg Norman and his supporters have developed a product that is not very interesting.
The LIV tournaments consist of 54 holes instead of the typical 72-hole format used by other top golf tours worldwide.
They also include a team component throughout the season. However, Price, a three-time major champion, does not like this format.
“I, like many others, am unsure of the ultimate goal. The current fragmented state of the game is not well-received,” he mentioned during the Bunkered podcast. “I have attempted to watch LIV, but I find their product to be lacking.
I am unsure why they felt the need to completely change things.”
I think the IPL [Indian Premier League ] in cricket had a lot to do with the decision-making and the way they tried to set it up with the franchises – which I don’t think is a bad idea. But right now, I don’t think the product they’ve got is something people will rush to their TV to watch and it’s sad because they have so many great players.”
Despite boasting an impressive roster including Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson Dechambeau, LIV’s viewership is dwarfed by the PGA Tour. In 2023, the PGA Tour raked in more than £400million in TV revenue compared to LIV’s estimated £2.4m.
LIV’s events are broadcast on YouTube internationally and on cable channel The CW in the United States. The final round of the LIV event in Las Vegas on Feb. 10 attracted 297,000 viewers on The CW, making it the 51st-ranked sports show in America that day. The third round of the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Open on the same day, meanwhile, totalled 1.7 million viewers.
Price admits he would have joined LIV Golf in the later stages of his playing career for the money, but he has been angered by players who took a parting shot at the PGA Tour on their way to the breakaway circuit.
“The thing that I was really saddened about was the fact that certain players on the LIV tour bad-mouthed the PGA Tour over a period of time right after signing. They forgot that some of them made over $100 million on the PGA Tour,” he added.
“I am disappointed by the aggressive criticism of the tour as it is a prestigious sports organization that provides exposure to golfers for a wealthy corporate audience.”
“If you have established a reputation on the PGA Tour, numerous companies are eager to sponsor you and offer financial incentives, but these individuals chose to reject those opportunities.”
