So, Is the LIV Golf Product Any Good? Here's an Analysis After Three Events
BEDMINSTER, N.J. – The third LIV Golf Invitational Series event concluded Sunday two months to the day when Dustin Johnson became the first big-name player to commit to the controversial new format, setting off an avalanche of disruption to the game that has likely not seen such upheaval.
The PGA Tour has held a respected and revered place in the game in its current setup for more than 50 years, with LIV Golf rocking that foundation (as well as that of the DP World Tour) while eliciting a good bit of venom from both sides.
It is difficult to envision a more polarizing issue in the game, one that is sure to continue as LIV Golf potentially lures more players with guaranteed contracts and huge purses.
But after playing three tournaments in eight weeks, paying out $75 million in prize money, getting major champions Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson and others on board, LIV Golf will take a mini break.
Henrik Stenson walked away the big winner Sunday, pocketing $4 million for the individual title while his Majestics team finished second, meaning another $375,000.
MORE: Full results, payouts from LIV Golf Bedminster
While the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs will commence next week with a three-week run that concludes with the Tour Championship in Atlanta, LIV Golf steps aside and won’t play again until its event outside of Boston, Sept. 2-4. And that was intentional. LIV Golf never planned to interfere with any of the Tour’s big events, hoping its players could still compete in them.
That, of course, has not happened. LIV Golf players with PGA Tour memberships have been indefinitely suspended. Players such as Johnson, Garcia and Graeme McDowell have resigned their membership. They will sit out the playoffs.
Which seems like a good time to ponder what we’ve learned about LIV Golf during a tumultuous two months.
Presentation: Once you get past the bells and whistles of the loud music, the shotgun starts, the London cabs driving players and caddies to their tees in the first event, it’s golf. The course is roped, there are rules officials, there are players and caddies in three-balls, and many of them are playing quite proficiently. There are a good deal of recognizable names playing on what so far have been formidable venues that seem to be challenging and perhaps even set up on the more difficult side.
There are fan zones and a nice build-out of hospitality areas and bleachers, seemingly more than necessary. But it’s there, and given the relatively short time to pull all of this together, it is impressive. Each tournament has had post-round concerts, with the first event outside of London having one every day. Of course, PGA Tour events across the board all strive to present favorably in this manner. They provide all kinds of options for spectators. It makes sense to offer such enhancements.
Spectators: Attendance so far has been light, much of it by design. Although LIV Golf officials have not provided exact numbers, they said admission has been limited at each of the three events. There have been no spectators at the pre-tournament pro-ams and sparse attendance on weekday rounds. All of the venues picked up on the weekend, but there was still plenty of room to roam. It would be easy to see some of your favorite players at these events.
The Bedminster tournament was purposely limited due to former President Donald Trump’s presence. It’s also fair to wonder if the $75 daily ticket fee was a detriment, although there were numerous discounts and giveaways. To create the kind of atmosphere LIV wants (“Golf but Louder’’ is one of its mottos), it will need more people to attend.
Shotgun Starts: This has been the subject of considerable derision, and there’s no doubt it is awkward for those used to watching a traditional golf tournament. LIV Golf officials maintain that in their considerable research before launching, they consulted numerous people in the broadcast industry who all suggested that the tighter window for a shotgun start was beneficial for viewers. All the golfers can be shown and a viewer can commit to a tighter timeframe.
The problem is following it. Despite the best attempts on the broadcast – which shows the number of holes remaining – you need to constantly be looking at a tee sheet to see where players started and where they are playing. It can be confusing. LIV Golf maintains we will get used to it, that they are following the Formula One model that has everyone on the track at the same time. Of course, in racing, everyone starts from the same spot.
The view here is that they should scrap the shotgun. Putting eight groups of three off each side (16 groups equals 48 players) only stretches the window by a small amount, perhaps an extra 90 minutes. And it allows you to follow the flow of a player’s round, all starting from the first or 10th tees.
At the very least, they should go to a two-tee start on the final day. That would help the team aspect that LIV is sold on, as players on the top teams playing the final holes could actually be cheered on by their teammates who are finished and waiting. That can’t happen in this format.
Teams: This has been another aspect that has been panned, but is clearly part of the LIV Golf vision. While team golf is not something we are used to seeing other than the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup or college golf, LIV sees it as a way to create further interest. You can already see the possibility of four-man teams comprised of players from Australia, Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Spain, Latin America and of course the United States.
Perhaps more important, LIV Golf sees this as a revenue source. It is working behind the scenes to secure team owners, whether they be wealthy individuals or companies. The idea would be to sell “franchises’’ which can then market themselves, sell tickets, merchandise, etc. Anecdotally, team merchandise such as Niblicks, Crushers, 4 Aces has been selling well in the merchandise centers across the three tournaments.
Given how important teams are to LIV, it is surprising that – relatively speaking – the payoff is low and only three teams each week can cash in. Out of a $25 million purse, $5 million goes to the teams. Then again, the season-ending event this year in Miami has a $50 million purse – and there is no individual competition there, just teams, with even last place collecting $ 1 million – or $250,000 each.
Star Players: LIV Golf has put together a pretty attractive lineup when you consider where it started from and the initial pushback. There were 11 major champions in the Bedminster field and Bubba Watson will give them 12. But Watson will also give them 16 players who are 40 or older, with Phil Mickelson at 52. There is an understandable perception that the league has become a place for players past their prime such as Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Watson.
The circuit has attracted some younger players, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Matthew Wolff, Patrick Reed, Carlos Ortiz and Abraham Ancer. But it will need more younger players to gain more credibility, and for those weighing whether to stay with the PGA Tour, it is a more difficult decision.
Camaraderie: There appears to be a “we’re all in this together’’ mindset among the LIV players. They know what they are doing is controversial, and it has strengthened to a point where there is less individualism than you see on the PGA Tour. Part of this is due to all of them staying in the same hotel, taking transportation to the course, being on the range in practice areas at the same time. The team aspect helps, too.
“It’s bringing us all together,’’ Graeme McDowell said. “We’re kind of unified by the negativity against us. So it’s trending in the right direction.’’
And the sense that they don’t care because they have guaranteed money has not played out. While the atmosphere is a bit lighter, and perhaps there is less of a sense or urgency, nobody wants to play poorly. And at the top end of the money scale, there is still an abundance of cash at stake.
The Broadcast: Golf fans are highly critical of how the game is presented to them and typically let their feelings be known. It is no different with LIV Golf, which will endure some growing pains as it seeks to find its way. David Feherty joined the broadcast team at Bedminster while Charlies Barkley is no longer part of the discussions.
The bigger issue is reach, as there is no rights partner at the moment, with the telecast being broadcast in the U.S. and the U.K. via LIV’s website or YouTube. That discounts the fact that numerous over-the-air outlets are taking the broadcast in countries around the world.
Getting a streaming deal as well as some sort of over-the-air rights package is something that LIV Golf says it continues to work on. Getting that in place seems imperative.
World Rankings: LIV Golf events get no ranking points and may never get them. If they do, it’s unlikely to be before the end of its first league season in 2023, consisting of 14 events. That’s a problem if players want to compete in major championships, as well as giving the circuit legitimacy. Do these tournaments simply become big-money exhibitions if there is nothing else at stake?
Perhaps major championship starts no longer matter to someone like Pat Perez, but Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra – who left Oklahoma State early to join LIV – surely wants to compete in the biggest tournaments. Phil Mickelson is set in at least three of the majors for a good while (provided the Masters, Open and PGA don’t change criteria inviting past champions), but Sergio Garcia only has the Masters left. His exemption for winning the 2017 Masters has expired for the other majors and he’s 70th in the world, meaning he won’t qualify via the rankings.
LIV Golf’s association with the Asian Tour presents some possibilities. Its players will have access to those tournaments, especially the International Series tournaments where if enough players with decent rankings participate, there is the chance to improve. The International Series is also meant to be a feeder to LIV, which might help hence the argument that it deserves ranking points for its 54-hole events.
Now What?: Things should be quiet with LIV Golf over the next several weeks. There are not expected to be any player announcements during the FedEx Cup playoffs, as anyone thinking of making the move or already signed to do so will want to keep that quiet until the next event – the week after the Tour Championship.
From there, it’s two more domestic events in September (Boston, Chicago), two international events in consecutive weeks in October (Bangkok, Jeddah) and then the season-ending team event at Doral.
Then we wait to see what the 2023 schedule looks like, who is on board and if a league schedule with 14 events can gain any more traction.
Bedminster and the PGA
We’ll never know how a PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster might have played out. The 2022 event was awarded to the course in 2014, then pulled last year by the PGA of America in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. capitol. The feeling among PGA of America leaders at the time was that then-President Trump’s ownership of the course was too problematic. So it was moved to Southern Hills, where Justin Thomas defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff.
But judging by the way the course played for the LIV Golf event, it would have provided a stern test. The 7,591-yard, par-71 course played to a scoring average of 72.979 on Saturday. And that’s in warmer temperatures with softer greens.
“This golf course is not easy at all,’’ Dustin Johnson said. "A lot of tees are up, so if they tipped it out and obviously they could firm the greens up, too. If the greens were firm and we played it all the way back, even par would be a really good score. I mean, this golf course is really good, and it’s tough.’’
Said Bryson DeChambeau: “It’s not easy. I’m telling you, if they got the greens a little firm and faster, I think the winning score would be over par if they played the PGA here.’’
Turnberry and LIV Golf?
Given former President Donald Trump’s presence at Bedminster, his love of golf and the fact that another of his courses will host a LIV Golf event later this year at Doral, it is reasonable to assume that the two parties might get together on further collaborations in coming years.
The Irish Independent reported that discussions have taken place about a tournament to be played at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, Ireland, as soon as 2024. The DP World Tour’s scheduling of the Irish Open will likely have an impact on how soon that could take place.
Another obvious possibility would be Trump Turnberry in Scotland. One of 14 venues ever used for the British Open, the four-time host to the championship has not been used since Stewart Cink’s playoff victory over Tom Watson in 2009. It was where Watson and Jack Nicklaus staged their famous “Duel in the Sun’’ in 1977, the first Open played at the resort that is 50 miles south of Glasgow.
In the aftermath of Jan. 6, 2021, the R&A made it clear it would not be returning to Turnberry anytime soon. In truth, the course’s remote location has made it less popular with the R&A due to the lack of revenue it produces compared to other venues. Still, it is the most scenic of the 10 venues in the Open rota, and the Trump Organization’s hiring of architect Martin Ebert to bring some of the holes closer to the water has been deemed a great success.
Going to a place such as Turnberry would undoubtedly draw eyeballs. Perhaps the week after The Open in 2024 would work. It will be played that year at Royal Troon, less than an hour away.
Fore! Things
1. Ryder Cup Europe is expected to name its captain for the 2023 matches in Rome as early as Monday. Luke Donald has been reported as the frontrunner to replace Henrik Stenson, whose captaincy was taken after he joined LIV Golf.
2. Prior to Sunday, Tony Finau was 0-for-5 in his career with a 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour. He was the only player in the field without a bogey through 54 holes and didn’t make his first until the 11th hole Sunday.
3. The PGA Tour has adjusted its FedEx Cup standings and removed players who are suspended due to their affiliation with LIV Golf. The top 125 through this week’s Wyndham Championship will earn a playoff spot and retain fully exempt status for the 2022-23 season if they do not already have it. Austin Smotherman is 125th at the moment. Rickie Fowler is 123rd.
4. Phil Mickelson played his best LIV Golf round since the opener in London last month. He shot even par-71 at Trump Bedminster in the final round. He shot 69 to open the London event. Mickelson finished 35th out of 48 players.
Big Tony
In a matter of two weeks, Tony Finau has doubled his PGA Tour victory total, getting a fourth PGA Tour win on Sunday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. For many, this was simply a matter of time – although Finau has taken his time getting to this point.
It simply seemed that someone of his ability, hovering inside the top 20 in the world for the better part of the last five years, would win more often. He was one of the few bright spots on the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2018. He made the Presidents Cup team in 2019 and the Ryder Cup team again last year.
That was just a few weeks after winning for the second time, capturing the first FedEx Cup playoff event at what was the Northern Trust. He now heads into the FedEx Cup playoffs with a ton of momentum.
An area that has typically held Finau back is putting. He simply wasn’t good enough on the greens. “It’s nice to make some putts,’’ he said. “I feel like I’ve been striking the golf ball well, especially the second half of this season, and to be able to capitalize on that by making some putts is probably where I would point to as part of my game that’s nice to see.’’
Finau made the cut on the number two weeks ago at the Open but shot a final-round 66 to tie for 28th and get moving in the right direction. Last week, he was the beneficiary of a poor final round by Scott Piercy and took advantage by shooting a final-round 67 at the 3M Open to win by three.
That form continued at Detroit Golf Club, where he went 64 holes before making his first bogey of the tournament.
Somewhat surprisingly, Finau was not able to build on his success soon after his win last August. He did not have a top-10 in an official event until he tied for second behind winner Jon Rahm at the Mexico Open in April. He then tied for fourth at the Charles Schwab Challenge and was second to Rory McIlroy at the Canadian Open.
"This game's a funny game because sometimes you play well and the next week you're a little flat, sometimes you play well and you keep it going. It was nice to keep it going after last week and keep it going today," Finau said.
Phil on Rwanda
Phil Mickelson raised a few eyebrows with a promotion video LIV Golf put out touting the debut of broadcaster David Feherty. In it, several players welcomed the long-time analyst and former European Tour player. Mickelson’s turned out to be quite the pivot.
He was vacationing in Rwanda at the time and managed to shoot his video with gorillas in the background. Mickelson explained that several months ago, he and his wife, Amy, planned a trip for her 50th birthday. The trip was to Rwanda and then to Tanzania.
“The video was just a random shot,” Mickelson said. “It looked like it was a preserve, but one day out of a month, the gorillas come out of the jungle. There’s like a wall there and they come out of the jungle and eat some of the eucalyptus trees for the salt and the stem, and we were lucky enough to see them on that day because we had a much better view of the entire family.”
Mickelson said Amy was “all excited because a little baby gorilla came up to here and kind of bumped into her. She seems to have that effect on all animals. They all come to her. It was a really special trip for us.”
Henrik Stenson, standing next to Mickelson as he explained the situation, then asked: “Did the gorilla bring a birthday present to her?” Said Mickelson with a smile: “They sang 'Happy Birthday' for her.”
The Masters Countdown
The first round of the Masters is in 248 days, which leaves plenty time those yet to qualify to earn an invitation to the 2023 tournament at Augusta National. For those focused on the remainder of 2022, the next three events through the BMW Championship offer an opportunity to earn an invitation with a victory. And the 30 players who qualify for the Tour Championship will also be assured a spot in the Masters.
There are expected to be nine official PGA Tour fall events as part of the 2022-23 season, and winner of those tournaments will also earn Masters invites. The top 50 in the Official World Ranking at the end of 2022 will also get an invitation. The 2023 tournaments leading up to the Masters as well as the top 50 in the world two weeks prior are the other ways to get in.
Social Matters
> American Sean Crocker won his first DP World Tour event, capturing the tournament played at Fairmont St. Andrews in Scotland.
> An ace for Sabbatini.
> Rickie Fowler at the Lions camp outside Detroit last week.
Next Up
The Wyndham Championship is the final regular season event on the 2021-22 PGA Tour season schedule. It is the final chance to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs as well as earn fully exempt status for the 2022-23 season.
The PGA Tour announced last week that those players who are competing in LIV Golf events and are thus indefinitely suspended will not count in the FedEx Cup list as far as playoff qualification or for retaining fully exempt status.
Kevin Kisner is back to defend his title and Will Zalatoris at No. 13 in the world is the highest-ranked player in the field. Others competing are Billy Horschel, Shane Lowry, Harris English, Harold Varner III and Tyrrell Hatton.
The top 125 in FedEx points move on to the FedEx St. Jude Invitational next week in Memphis. From there, the top 70 qualify for the BMW Championship in Wilmington, Delaware, with the top 30 then advancing to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
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