The LIV Series is a new incarnation and it is golfing’s equivalent of the proposed rebel breakaway European Super League. Essentially, the LIV Series was created as a means to challenge and provide an alternative to the PGA Tour, which has long held a monopoly on golf.
How did it start? Who is involved?
With its own series of events, the LIV Series has captured the imagination of many of the game’s leading lights, but its critics have been quick to accuse the organizers of sports washing to mask its seedy reputation.
But what is the LIV Series? Who has joined? And how much of a threat does it present to the future of the PGA Tour? This and much more will be discussed in this guide, so let’s give you a whistlestop tour of the murky world of the LIV Series.
What is the LIV Series?
Originally known as the Super Golf League, this venture consists of eight invitational tournaments, with each regular event comprising a prize purse of $25million. The LIV Series has been sanctioned by the Asian Tour, which is expected to benefit from a $300million cash injection over the next 10 years.
Who is behind the LIV Series?
There had been serious groundwork carried out to shove the LIV Series in front of golf fans. The main shareholders are the Saudi-backed consortium — the Public Investment Fund (PIF) — that owns Newcastle.
Meanwhile, two-time Open champion and former world No.1 Greg Norman has fronted the LIV Series.
Who has joined the LIV Series?
Over the past few months, there have been swathes of players who have defected from the PGA Tour to join the LIV Series. Some were adamant initially they wouldn’t join, while others, such as current Open champion Cameron Smith has been quizzed about his future plans, with the LIV Series supposedly keen to pluck him out of the PGA Tour’s grasp.
For others, such as Henrik Stenson, it has spelled the end of his stint as Ryder Cup captain to lead Europe’s charge in 2023 against the US. Here is the full list of the players who have signed up so far:
- Abraham Ancer
- Oliver Bekker
- Richard Bland
- Itthipat Buranatanyarat
- Laurie Canter
- Paul Casey
- TK Chantananuwat
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Hennie Du Plessis
- Oliver Fisher
- Sergio Garcia
- Taylor Gooch
- Branden Grace
- Justin Harding
- Sam Horsfield
- Charles Howell III
- Yuki Inamori
- Dustin Johnson
- Matt Jones
- Sadom Kaewkanjana
- Martin Kaymer
- Sihwan Kim
- Ryo Kinoshita
- Phachara Khongwatmai
- Brooks Koepka
- Chase Koepka
- Jason Kokrak
- Jinichiro Kozuma
- Pablo Larrazabal
- Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra
- Viraj Madappa
- Graeme McDowell
- Phil Mickelson
- Jediah Morgan
- Kevin Na
- Shaun Norris
- Andy Ogleletree
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Wade Ormsby
- Adrian Otaegui
- Pat Perez
- Turk Petit
- James Piot
- Ian Poulter
- David Puig
- Patrick Reed
- JC Ritchie
- Charl Schwartzel
- Travis Smyth
- Ian Snyman
- Henrik Stenson
- Hudson Swafford
- Hideto Tanihara
- Peter Uihlein
- Scott Vincent
- Lee Westwood
- Bernd Wiesberger
- Blake Windred
- Matthew Wolff
- Kevin Yuan
What is the format of the LIV Series?
Unlike regular 72-hole stroke play events as contested on the PGA Tour, the LIV Series, the Roman numeral LIV equates to 54, so tournaments are 54-hole affairs.
How has the PGA Tour responded?
The PGA Tour has come under fire over the LIV Series. Legal action is in the pipeline and several golfers, including Phil Mickelson, have filed an antitrust lawsuit, so this debate could play out in the courts.
So far, the PGA Tour has banned players from competing in both the PGA Tour and LIV Series, although they have stopped short of suspending players from competing in the Majors.
However, the Masters — which is held each year at Augusta — is considering imposing bans on LIV players competing. Currently, the LIV Series won’t carry official golf world ranking points, however, they have applied to the OWGR to ensure events do moving forward.
LIV Series – Verdict
The LIV Series is a curious beast. With smaller crowds, it is arguably more intimate than many of the more raucous PGA Tour events where fans bellow between tee shots and shout out a few oddities in between.
Of course, the LIV Series has been met with much disapproval from many sides of the golfing community, although the pilot events in 2022 so far have experienced some success.
Naturally, the prize money floating about is obscene, but the LIV Series isn’t a gimmick, it is supposed to supercharge golf and bring in new fans. Only time will tell as to how many more players the LIV Series convinces to leave the PGA Tour, but the PGA Tour’s status as the superpower golfing body isn’t under immediate threat.
The LIV Series GAQ
Who runs the LIV Series?
The LIV Series is operated and owned by a Saudi-based consortium — PIF — who owns the soccer club Newcastle, while Greg Norman has spearheaded the golfing aspect of it.
How many tournaments are there in the LIV Series?
In 2022, the LIV Series has commissioned eight tournaments, and it is hoped this will increase by 2023 to 10 events.
What is the format of the LIV Series?
Each event is contested over 54 holes as opposed to 72 holes for PGA Tour tournaments.
What is the prize money for the LIV Series?
For each of the eight LIV Series tournaments, there is a total prize purse of $25m. When Stenson won on his LIV Series debut at the Trump National Club in Bedminster, he took home his biggest ever paycheck ($4.75m).
Can you bet on the LIV Series?
At the moment, few US online betting sites carry lines for the LIV Series, however, this is likely to change in the future.