Witnesses Contradict LIV Golf, Say New Orleans Venue Is ‘Pure’ Despite Recent Cancellation

LIV scrapped next month’s scheduled event in New Orleans, with plans to push it to the fall. But local golf leaders question that strategy, writes Bob Harig.

A scene from early in the week before LIV’s recent LIV Golf Mexico event. | Hector Vivas/Getty Images

The decision reached by the State of Louisiana and the LIV Golf League to either cancel or postpone a scheduled June tournament just outside the city of New Orleans could have not have come at a worse time for the league, since its funding is reportedly in peril.

The last thing LIV Golf needed at this point, after CEO Scott O’Neil said two weeks ago that “our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” was more doubt over its viability with reports that the Public Investment Fund was set to pull its funding, including news from the Wall Street Journal that players may be updated on Thursday of the funding loss.

The sudden decision this week to scrap the June 25-29 at Bayou Oaks at City Park appears to be money-related as opposed to the reasons put forth in a joint statement that said the parties were concerned about the summer heat and the condition of the course.

Were Louisiana officials were concerned about the viability of the event? Was LIV Golf unable to meet its financial obligations? Those answers are unclear.

“I played it last Tuesday afternoon, and I was very impressed with the condition of the golf course,” said J.T. Hannan, a frequent visitor to the property. “The problem, if there is one, is we’ve had a drought. You saw it during the Zurich (Classic of New Orleans, just played last weekend). The rough wasn’t very high and it’s been hard to grow grass. But we’re expecting four inches of rain this weekend and nobody is concerned about that.

“The notion that it’s in poor condition is not going by the facts at all.”

Hannan is not a random golfer. He’s had jobs in the New Orleans golf scene for years. He served for four years with the Fore! Kids Foundation, the charitable arm of the Zurich Classic. Later, he spent nine years as chief of staff of the Bayou District Foundation, which he said had a role in the construction of the project and which he likened to what was done at East Lake in Atlanta.

“The revenue from golf helped support Columbia Parc next door,” Hannan said. “It’s a big community benefit. And outstanding post-(Hurricane) Katrinia success story.”

According to various sources, LIV Golf first approached New Orleans about having an event there in conjunction with the Super Bowl. It had done something similar in 2024 in Las Vegas and was interested in doing so in New Orleans

That didn’t work, but the two sides kept talking and eventually decided on the deal that would bring multiple events to Bayou Oaks, with the state committing several million dollars to LIV Golf in exchange for a renovation of the driving range and upgrades to the course.

Governor Jeff Landry liked the idea of bringing LIV to the area because, according to another source, he saw an opportunity to leverage the tournament into doing business for the state with the PIF. LIV would get a location that fit its model, with the nearby party vibe of New Orleans—plus a hefty fee for showing up.

“They would have got a boatload more people than they just had for the Zurich,” said Brian Manzella, a longtime PGA of America professional who is among Golf Digest’s list of the top 50 golf instructors in the United States and teaches at English Turn Country Club, a former home of what is now the Zurich Classic.

“It’s a thousand times easier to get there than the Zurich and it’s a huge property. It was going to do well.”

Manzella, who used to teach at Bayou Oaks and grew up working and playing there, lives less than 10 minutes from the course and took photos of it on Wednesday that he posted to social media. He said the condition is fine and that the work on the driving range is outstanding.

The tee line, turf and practice green refurbished Bayou Oaks at City Park Driving Range is pure. Anyone can even see this from the pics. And the golf course is in great shape. No LIV event, but great for regular Joes and Jane’s! pic.twitter.com/9DObHlaQKX

— Brian Manzella (@brianmanzella) April 29, 2026

And he said the idea of moving the tournament to the fall—the fallback position for not playing in June—doesn’t make sense.

“It’s hot then, too,” Manzella said. “And if Lane Kiffin (the new LSU football coach) gets off to a hot start and the (NFL’s) Saints are supposed to be better, you wouldn’t get one tenth of the people you had at the Zurich.”

All of which conflicts with what LIV released in its statement. “This shift allows us to avoid the peak summer heat and the crowded global sports calendar while ensuring the course is in the championship condition our fans and players expect.”

In a social media post, Manzella said that the “tee line, turf and practice green refurbished at Bayou Oaks at City Park is pure ... And the golf course is in great shape. No LIV event but great for regular Joes and Janes!”

Another frequent visitor to the course is Peter Finney Jr. a longtime local writer who wrote a column for his Substack earlier this year entitled “City Park: Where golf balls occasionally rise from the tomb.”

“Renovating the driving range was by far the biggest investment,” Finney said. “They estimated there were 100,000 golf balls underneath the dirt since the driving range opened.”

For LIV’s purposes, the golf course might not have been high caliber, but it was going to be fine in two months.

“There’s no problem with the course, it’s in great shape,” Finney said. “There’s no course issues, per se. It needs some growing in from the spring. And they’d done a lot of work preparing (for the tournament). The course itself is fine. Yeah, it was going to be hot.”

Said Hannan: “I play the golf course all the time. It would have been really fun to see how Jon Rahm stacks up against the average guy who plays it. It’s one of those things where it’s an every-man golf course.

“The bottom line to all this is they got some improvements and a new driving range, and that’s a win for public golf in New Orleans. I give LIV credit for that.”

According to the statement released by Landry’s office, the state had paid $3.2 million in accordance with its contract with LIV, which is expected to return all state incentive funds, aside from $2 million invested in upgrades to the course.

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