Greg Norman made a stunning admission about LIV’s golf
Getty Photos
LIV Golf has a little bit of a factor with the quantity 54.
The identify LIV, you may keep in mind, is derived from the Roman numeral for 54, which additionally occurs to be the variety of holes performed by the Saudi-backed tour in its competitions. This has been a central piece of LIV’s “revolutionary” identification from the start — the concept that tournaments have been too lengthy and stars have been too usually faraway from these fields with a cutline. And so, the league’s idea went, by eradicating the cutline and trimming tournaments to 54 holes with a shotgun begin, we might take away the entire worst components of golf tournaments and hold the entire finest.
Now, it appears, that love affair has grown a bit stale. Because the league ponders a future that would embody a treaty and even reunification with the PGA Tour, LIV’s executives are additionally coming to grips with the suggestion that among the league’s core tenets might be modified as a part of that reunification. One of many largest of these advised modifications has been extending the league’s tournaments to 72 holes, which some gamers have advocated for as a way of serving to LIV obtain OWGR standing or, extra broadly, for holding the tour according to the rest of golf’s largest occasions, that are additionally contested over 72 holes.
On Wednesday at LIV’s newest occasion in Adelaide, commissioner Greg Norman was requested about these modifications particularly — and he delivered a stunning response.
“I feel from LIV’s perspective, we’re very open-minded about [moving to 72 holes],” he mentioned. “However you’ve acquired to grasp there’s financial impression about placing tv on for 72 holes.”
Open-minded! Certain, it’s not “obsessed with” or “altering to” — however Norman’s feedback nonetheless mark a noticeable territorial shift for the league in its public-facing feedback. Even when shifting to 72 holes would lead to a comparatively palatable answer for all events concerned, Norman and co. have been reticent to remark publicly about modifications that would carry the league extra according to its PGA Tour counterparts. Norman’s determination to remark publicly about it on Wednesday — in the identical presser LIV competitor Jon Rahm named PGA Tour occasions he would take pleasure in competing in — signifies the league is considering critically a couple of future that appears totally different than its current.
“It’s an incredible dialog to have. We’ll proceed to have that dialog going ahead,” Norman mentioned. “However we sit again and say, what worth can we get on placing on tv on Thursday? Now, how can we construct out sooner or later? How can we get extra folks to the golf course? Possibly it’s Thursday and also you permit one other 30,000 folks coming in on a Thursday.”
It’s exhausting to know precisely what the commissioner means by the “financial impression” of extending to 72 holes. On one hand, it could be dearer to pay the league’s tv crews and manufacturing prices for an additional day of event play. However the worth of placing an occasion on tv is usually significantly greater than the price of placing it on TV, and the identical might be mentioned about the price of an additional day of event employees towards the price of tickets. (Certain, LIV has had its points touchdown paid TV companions through the years, however absolutely some outlet would promote sufficient promoting to justify paying LIV sufficient to cowl the price of manufacturing.)
However financial considerations are just one piece of the puzzle, Norman mentioned. They selected 54 holes as a result of they just like the velocity and urgency it brings to the competitors.
“Generally you’ll be able to have a median first spherical and then you definitely come again and shoot a 64 and get your self again into it, now you’re into the weekend,” Norman mentioned. “For those who actually don’t play properly on Friday right here, you may have a tough time as a result of the standard of play right here is so excessive. It’s a query you need to ask [the players]. It’s intense strain on it right away as a result of you must carry out instantly proper off the bat.”
In fact, that’s an fascinating counterpoint — and one which appears to underline the problem dealing with LIV gamers in transitioning from regular event play to the main championships. However it speaks to the truth that LIV is having these conversations within the first place. And given the drawn-out nature of the negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF, it is also an indication that these talks are progressing.
“There are issues that we sit again and take a look at to see, what’s the most optimum answer to make this a greater and higher and higher occasion?” Norman mentioned. “And 72 holes is mentioned.”
As for a reputation change to LXXII? Properly, we’ll go away that as much as the person in cost.
