Underwhelming under lights
LIV's 2025 debut offered new experience and network, but few noticed; is deal imminent?
Adrian Meronk won his first LIV event, but not many were watching (Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)
LIV Golf began its 2025 season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, playing all three of its rounds at night and under a fully-lighted golf course at Riyadh Golf Club.
The question remains: was anyone able to see it, even with all that wattage?
Saudi Arabia is not exactly a golf mecca, and for all of the country’s desires to embed itself in sports, it has yet to develop any kind of a golf following in the country. If there were a few dozen spectators on site, that would be pushing it. And that despite pre-tournament fireworks, laser show and a festival fan pavilion.
Then there is the much-discussed new TV rights deal with Fox, which saw the first and second rounds aired on FS2. First reports had just 12,000 viewers on day one, a paltry sum that might be explained by an early-afternoon time slot in the U.S. but certainly not a very robust number.
CBS Sports on-course commentator Colt Knost couldn’t help but get in a little good-natured shot on Saturday by saying there were 24,000 folks surrounding the party-like 16th hole or “that’s two times 12,000, if my math is correct.”
Adrian Meronk, a former DP World Tour player of the year who felt snubbed for a 2023 European Ryder Cup spot, got his first victory while Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team with newcomer Tom McKibbin won again, its fifth victory in 15 starts.
The bigger stuff for LIV occurred off the course.
The U.S. Open became the first major championship to give LIV Golf direct access via its exemption categories, allowing for the top player among the top three not otherwise exempt in the LIV individual points standings through the first seven events of 2025 to earn a spot at Oakmont.
The Telegraph reported that the Open would also be offering direct access, although the R&A has yet to confirm its 2025 exemption criteria.
And then there was the interesting news that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player board rep Adam Scott met with President Trump in Washington, D.C. to more or less lobby for his support in eliminating potential oversight obstacles to help push through the deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which funds LIV Golf.
Sports Business Journal reported that PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan joined the meeting via phone.
LIV Golf Riyadh presented something completely different with night golf (Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf)
Since the framework agreement was announced in June of 2023, negotiations have continued at a glacial pace. The tour brought on Strategic Sports Group as a $3 billion domestic investor and the PIF is seeking to add potentially another $1.5 billion to the portfolio.
All of this, however, is under the watchful eye of the U.S. Department of Justice, which in addition to having concerns about foreign investment also has issues with lack of competition. According to Golfweek, several versions of an agreement are in front of the DOJ, awaiting approval.
But it was Trump in the lead-up to the election who said he could solve any issues “in 15 minutes” and seems keen to help — or al least take credit — for any kind of agreement. Not that he has anything to gain, of course. Trump’s own golf courses have hosted several LIV events, and will do so again this spring when the league goes back to Doral.
He’s also been critical of the PGA Tour, wrongfully accusing it of leaving Doral eight years ago because of him. Two years ago, in a baseless claim, he accused the tour of stealing money from the player’s pension fund.
That didn’t stop the PGA Tour from seeking his blessing. Recognizing it has a potential ally, Monahan ostensibly visited him to see if he can push through a deal, thus bypassing scrutiny.
Forget the fact that the DOJ has justifiable concerns and the tour was working within those guidelines to come up with the best outcome.
That didn’t stop the PGA Tour from debasing itself with a statement lavishing praise on Trump and thanking him.
“We want to thank President Trump for his interest and long-time support of the game of golf,” the statement said. “We asked the president to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved. We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”
The fact that the tour felt compelled to go to the trouble at an otherwise difficult time in the country’s standing says all you need to know about a lack of awareness.
And as Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch wrote, it might not have been necessary.
Who knows how it will all play out? But the tour’s enthusiasm — after months and months of word-salad responses amounting to nothing — suggests that perhaps something is imminent.
It doesn’t mean we will see any changes in 2025, but what would stop the tour from allowing LIV players a few sponsor invites into signature events?
At least the golf of recent vintage has been top notch.
Rory McIlroy’s victory at Pebble Beach followed by the upbeat vibe in Scottsdale, Arizona — where Thomas Detry ran away for his first PGA Tour victory with Jordan Spieth showing signs of life and contending — hasn’t hurt.
Now it’s onto Torrey Pines for the relocated Genesis Invitational, where Tiger Woods will make his 2025 debut. At the same time on the other side of the world, LIV Golf heads to its most popular and raucous event at the Grange in Adelaide, Australia, an event for which LIV was made.
The golf wars continue, but at least we’re headed toward some good golf inside the ropes.