Entertainment, star names, culture: Greg Norman sees success of Adelaide formula as blueprint for future LIV Golf events
- The growing promise of the fledgling tour is no better illustrated than by the success of the Australian stop
- And it is a formula, says the tour boss, that can be replicated anywhere, particularly markets deprived of elite golf
Entertainment, star names and awareness of culture are the three key ingredients Greg Norman has used to build LIV Golf, with the Australian confident the formula can be transplanted anywhere to capitalise on pent-up demand.
Now in its second full season and spanning 14 tournaments, the Saudi-backed league and its 54-hole format, punctuated by thumping music, has injected itself as a rival to the PGA Tour, poaching a slew of high-profile talent.
Its fledgling success is nowhere more evident than in Norman’s homeland, with fans flocking to the tour’s Adelaide stop last year and capacity expanded at this week’s event to cater for demand.
“This event here, from last to this year, is the benchmark for LIV,” said Norman.
“We get all the other events, 13 events around the world, to take a look at what we’ve delivered here and what Adelaide has delivered and what the state government has delivered and what the local community and the region has delivered, and you go, it can be done. Here it is.”
South Australia state premier Peter Malinauskas took a gamble on agreeing to host the tournament in the face of blowback over concern about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
