A Key elements of the Master’s plot exist beyond the ropes. Will Greg Norman and Yasir Rumayan be at Augusta National next week? It has become increasingly futile for the golf world to ignore LIV and its Saudi supporters, but Augusta National’s administrators are taking the potential disruption to the year’s first major seriously.
If Norman and the president of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund were spotted under the Masters’ famous oak tree, it would be the latest sign of the normalization or legitimacy LIV craves for what was only a PowerPoint scheme. It was the most expensive live event in sports history; LIV continued its rapid growth in its third year, hosting events worth $25 million (£19.8 million), not even taking into account the hundreds of millions initially spent on coaxing players.
Given the Masters’ strength and stature, they should play a key role in the potential unification of elite golf rather than fret over uncomfortable conversations on club lawns. LIV is not going away. The head of a sovereign wealth fund is now more important to the sport than Tiger Woods.
One notable absentee at the Doral LIV Station is the owner of the property. Two years ago, Donald Trump played in the Pro-Am here while frequently mocking Joe Biden for his lack of golf ability. Trump has been in West Palm Beach this week but was unable to make a brief visit to Miami. His book “The Art of the Deal” is still on sale at the club store for $28.
The Trump brand is front and center elsewhere; from ping pong balls to mugs and T-shirts. However, the man who is usually a fan of golf-related publicity is not here himself. One gets the impression that LIV’s event staff were not upset by this. Last October, Doral staged the LIV team championship match. Very intentionally, there will be no repeat in 2024; the same time window will be close to the US election.
Dora’s recent history feels intrinsically tied to the chaotic state of men’s professional golf. It is home to the World Golf Championships, a series of events designed in part to fend off the Norman-led rebel tour plans of the 1990s. Sergio Garcia spat into a hole here. Rory McIlroy threw an iron rod into the lake; Trump retrieved it and placed it at the club bar.
When the 45th became too hot for the PGA Tour to handle, the WGC moved to Mexico City. The championship no longer exists, but Norman’s dream lives on, funded by endless petro pounds. Trump seized the opportunity and welcomed LIV back to the PGA Tour with open arms. Trump’s close relationship with Saudi Arabia has drawn concern in the United States.
“I think this is the first big boy golf course we’ve played this year,” Brooks Koepka said, which could be taken as a dig at the lack of bite at other courses. But it’s also true that LIV works best outside the United States. The number of galleries this week was nowhere near the level it was when participating in the World GC Awards. However, they are significantly younger. Amateurs pay thousands of dollars to compete in the Pro-Am.
Speaking to the media in his native Australia this week, Norman predicted that 30,000 people will attend LIV’s upcoming matches in Adelaide each day. “The journey has just begun,” Norman ventured. He said he had a timetable in mind for leaving the industry. Norman revealed that he receives calls every week from other sports industry leaders. This is in line with the latest theory that the Saudi Arabian PIF will seek to expand into other mainstream sports in the United States. Strategic Sports Group has a business deal with the PGA Tour and wants the PIF to be involved, which seems like an obvious tool.
The tournament is organized cleanly and efficiently, in part because many experienced golf executives are switching to LIV, as are players. The 54-hole tournament and no early start make it a caddy’s dream, but those outdoor stewards insist they are being treated much more fairly than they would be on a traditional tour.
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“Everyone feels much more comfortable in their own skin now,” said one experienced bag maker. This is also obvious. Gone are the anxious looks or complaints of unfair media coverage that were once common. The likes of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Garcia have borne the brunt of this negativity. When Masters champion Jon Rahm signed with LIV in December, most people shrugged. Ram received no moral outrage.
There are competition issues. LIV’s failure to achieve world ranking status – which Norman told players would be addressed – has had a negative impact on those seeking to play in the majors. Talor Gooch, for example, has competed in the past two Masters tournaments but is ineligible for next week’s tournament after slipping to No. 550 in the world rankings. Some golfers don’t like playing the week before Augusta National; they have no choice in the field.
The expiring contracts of some LIV players and rumors of a new LIV team at the end of the year should worry the PGA Tour. The range of newcomers means room to continue to drain talent from a circuit that recently had to host its marquee event, The Players Championship, without a household name. McIlroy lamented a 20% drop in PGA Tour TV viewership this week; the Northern Irishman rightly admitted that LIV’s ratings were not impressive, but it underscored the broken state of golf for anyone It has no special use. It remains to be seen whether the average golf fan will tune in to watch the Masters, or be suitably put off by infighting and money obsession.
“My belief in Yasir is where the sport is going globally,” Phil Mickelson said. That was Yasir, not anyone involved in the existing tour or governing body. One explanation for this is that PIFs can write the largest checks. Yet Mixon’s thoughtful language illustrates how the game of golf has changed dramatically. The scene in Doral proves this.
