'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
LIV Golf will head to Australia next year. After a lot of speculation around the list of countries for their new 14-event schedule, Australia has officially made the cut.
CEO Greg Norman said that Australia is a great country for the league to visit, according to Golf Week:
“Passion for sport is at the core of Australian culture, and LIV Golf is proud to bring its global league to a country deserving of the world’s top competition."
He added, according to Sports Illustrated:
“This is an opportunity to grow the game with generations of Australians while connecting them with star players like Cameron Smith who are building a new platform for golf around the globe. There is massive potential for Australia to play a bigger role in this great sport, and I couldn’t be more excited to showcase Adelaide for our league’s debut year.”
Australia was always a big target for LIV Golf as they were able to successfully poach star golfer Cameron Smith from the PGA Tour.
Smith, himself an Aussie, cited the potential for playing in Australia when he joined the league, according to Yahoo! Sports:
"The biggest thing for me joining is LIV’s schedule is really appealing. I’ll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event down there, as well. I haven’t been able to do that, and to get that part of my life back was really appealing."
The current LIV Golf schedule has tournaments in the United States, England, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. As they expand, they want to enter more countries and grow an international fanbase.
Australia is the first confirmed location on that list. The Grange Golf Club in the South Australian capital of Adelaide will host the controversial golf league between April 21st and 23rd, 2023.
What other countries might LIV Golf visit next year?
The league is expanding from eight to 14 events per year.
Eventually, they'd like to have a plethora of events every year akin to the PGA Tour, which organizes over 40 each year, but will require a longer calendar and many more players to sign if they are to pull it off.
They've reportedly considered Singapore (a tournament that could potentially be held shortly after the one in Australia), Spain and London as potential destinations for next year.
Much of this is still tentative as they work out the details, but for now, it is time for some action in the land down under.
