Taking a look at LIV Golf Las Vegas

I watched the finale of the recent LIV event in Las Vegas. Here's what I thought of the events as they unfolded, and my main takeaways from on the LIV Golf league. 

We know the golf world is split. Or rather, the professional MEN's golf world is split. 

The established PGA Tour and its Saudi-funded adversary, LIV Golf, have gone head to head to outmanoeuvre one another to either retain or attract the top talent to their league. And despite limited success for both, neither is winning. This very blog pondered the blockbuster LIV Golf signing of Jon Rahm and how the fans are suffering. 

Cutting through the noise, I watched Saturday's final round as a keen observer. How would the team aspect play out? What's different about LIV? Will the broadcast be any better? I wanted to see if LIV could really go head-to-head against the PGA Tour in the long run—various caveats on mergers, alliances, etc., withstanding. 

Live golf on YouTube? Yes please.

I watched it on YouTube, and, well, it's great. Accessible and free to watch. I don't know how sustainable that is in the long term, but as a golf fan, watching it anywhere with an internet connection is a big plus. 

I love the leaderboard - F1 style. Easy to follow, vibrant and keeps you updated on the state of play. It's not unique, but I like how dynamic it is, integrating a submenu depending on who's on screen. There's also the Team leaderboard. More on teams shortly. Golf YouTube is huge, with personalities and channels like Rick Shiels, Peter Finch, Bob Does Sports, Good Good, and countless others bringing golf entertainment to the masses, so this is a good fit for LIV - I know the desire for a global TV broadcast is there though, so perhaps enjoy it while it lasts? It'll be a shame if it disappears, though. 

I did chuckle when, every so often, what can only be described as Greg Norman propaganda flashed on the screen as he provided some co-comms - did you know Greg spent 331 weeks as world number 1? The irony that LIV Golf currently receive no OWGR points was not lost. 

A golf tournament!

Captain Obvious here with the hot take, but contrary to what many will have you think, it's an actual golf tournament. 

During the stretch on Saturday, there were legitimately seven or eight players within a genuine shot at taking the title. That's competition, and that's what makes sport genuinely exciting. DJ and Rahm were up there; Bryson fell away on Saturday but shot 62 on Friday—world-class golfers. LIV Golf also has some genuine strength in the field. They weren't in contention, but the recently acquired Hatton, Cam Smith and Koepka are all also missed on the PGA Tour. 

On the other side of the coin, scratch beneath the surface and depth is an issue. As you venture deeper into the leaderboard, you'll eventually reach some household names whose best days are long behind them. Some golfers were relegated from LIV last season, and some equally poor performers weren't. I can't get on board with exemptions (not looking at any ex-European Ryder Cup team stalwarts in particular). It devalues the product - where is the incentive to do well? 

Regarding the tournament set-up, the shotgun start has pros and cons. Everyone finishes at a similar time - though Bryson, Rahm and DJ found themselves over 20 minutes behind - and it could lead to an exciting climax. But it's easy to lose track. I miss watching players come through in their groups, navigating the same stretch one after another to the 18th. I get that it's different, and I'm open to changing my view, though it will take some getting used to. 

Team golf on LIV

It might be because 'Smash GC' were so far clear, but the team aspect seemed a complete afterthought both watching and from the broadcast commentary team. Team Golf IS the LIV Golf USP. It feels like they need to go all in. It felt like just about every other golf tournament. The Team element is meant to be different, but for me, on this particular occasion, it was underwhelming. But again, is it because there was a runaway leader? I'd like to see them lean in on the team element more.

How do the players feel? Where does a team win rank when they don't win the individual event? 

Some other stuff...

Derided for a lack of crowds at previous events, it's only fair to note that the galleries looked stacked. The Super Bowl was in town, and the fans turned up in numbers. It looked like a great buzz. A five-star in-person experience can build events and translate across to the broadcast. 

Looking at the LIV Golf calendar, the next event is in Saudi Arabia. I foresee a different vibe...

And finally...

LIV and the PGA Tour. It's messy. But LIV, at least for now, is not going away. Do we need to pick a side? Why? We live in a world where social media has led to the acute polarisation of almost everything. 

Let's take a step back and, for now, at least enjoy some golf.