LIV Golf Adelaide 2023: Record-Breaking Attendance and Team Triumph
LIV Golf Adelaide 2023: A Resounding Success, Setting New Benchmarks
Last year’s LIV Golf Adelaide event set a high standard for the new league, attracting over 77,000 fans. However, this year’s edition surpassed all expectations, raising the bar even higher.
More than 94,000 spectators witnessed the action at The Grange, with early broadcast figures indicating close to a million viewers in Australia alone. These numbers do not include users of the LIV Golf + app, which has become a popular platform for following the league.
The local government’s support for the tournament was evident, with nearly 40% of attendees traveling from out of state. While these numbers may pale in comparison to some PGA Tour events and major championships, they are a testament to the league’s growing popularity.
Despite criticism of sparsely attended events like Jeddah, LIV Golf’s presence in Saudi Arabia is seen as a responsibility to grow the game in the region. The tournament’s relocation to populous cities like Riyadh is expected to further boost attendance.
One of the key highlights of LIV Golf Adelaide was the enthusiastic embrace of the team aspect. The all-Australian Ripper GC emerged victorious, defeating the all-South African Stingers GC in the first-ever team playoff.
The team format has gained significant traction this year, with Crushers GC, led by Bryson DeChambeau and featuring Anirban Lahiri, becoming a fan favorite. Their comeback wins in Jeddah and Hong Kong have captivated audiences.
Critics who argue that team competition is difficult to understand are dismissed by LIV Golf officials. The format is simple: the best three scores count on the first two days, while all four scores count in the final round.
LIV Golf has also made a concerted effort to cater to fans, offering affordable ticket prices, providing ample information, and supplementing golf with entertainment. Their fast-paced TV broadcast has also received positive feedback.
As LIV Golf moves to Singapore this week, expectations are high. While attendance may not reach the same levels as Adelaide, a crowd of around 30,000 over three days would be considered a success.
