Things haven't gone LIV Golf's way lately, and the latest development is another setback. With the PGA Tour partnering with Golf Australia, LIV appears to have lost more ground in the international market.

Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard said the PGA Tour appears to be using the PGA Tour–Golf Australia partnership as another chance to put pressure on LIV Golf.

“I think this is the PGA Tour trying to put the last nail in LIV Golf’s coffin. We all know that LIV Golf’s success came initially, first and foremost, in Adelaide,” said the co-host of the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard.

LIV Adelaide was a huge success this year. As Antony Kim lifted the title, more than 115,000 fans were in the crowd. 

The Grange East Course witnessed a record attendance as LIV Adelaide became the highest-attended golf event in Australian history.

“So I thought this made a ton of sense from those two tours’ perspective, as you mentioned, because LIV Golf was openly targeting them,” said Ryan Lavner on the same podcast.

To expand the reach of the sport, LIV Golf has always highly prioritized its international market.

It has been targeting national Open events in countries that have witnessed large crowds.

As a result, LIV was seeking a deal with the Australian Open to stage it. However, the PGA Tour has now entered the scene.

The new partnership is set to reap benefits for the National Open.

What The Future Holds For The Australian Open

The PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and Golf Australia have combined to elevate Australia’s national championship. Hoggard said this is a move in the right direction, noting that other national opens, such as the Irish Open and Scottish Open, have received a boost in status in recent years.

“I would certainly make the argument that national open and all of the national opens should be elevated. The Irish Open, the Scottish Open, we’ve seen, have been elevated over the last couple of years. The right step forward,” said Hoggard in the same podcast.

The new deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Golf Australia will elevate the Capital.com Australian Open, increasing its A$2 million prize pool from 2027 onward, although the exact figure has not yet been disclosed.

With a ‘distinct window in the global golf calendar’, the Australian Open is expected to feature the big names in golf. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy has also publicly backed the event.

How big a blow will this partnership be to LIV Golf? Share your opinions in the comments.

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Written by

Avishek Sarkar

Edited by

Rudra Dubey