LIV Adelaide 2

THE LIV Golf Tour rolls into town for a second time in April, with another all-star cast set to arrive on Australian shores for LIV Adelaide 2.  

Arguably the event which put LIV firmly in the sporting limelight in 2023, with enthusiastic crowds flocking to Adelaide and The Grange course, the field has been bolstered by the addition of two-time major championship winner Jon Rahm, the past two Australian Open champions in Joaquin Niemann and Adrian Meronk, as well as talented Englishman Tyrrell Hatton. 

Victorian Lucas Herbert is also now a member of the LIV Tour and will attempt to use whatever local knowledge he has to his advantage, as will fellow Aussies Cam Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones. 

Despite discussions on-going with the LIV and the PGA Tour and debate continuing to rage as to the format, the strength of the competition and the lack of recognition by the powers that control the Official World Golf Rankings, the fact remains that a top-class collection of major champions and world class golfing performers will tee it up at The Grange. 

Australian Mal Baker, a former tournament professional and now caddy for Talor Gooch, a three-time winner and the LIV Player of the Year in 2023, has no doubt local golf fans will again embrace the second instalment of LIV Adelaide. 

Gallery numbers have been increased by 50 per cent, with Baker confident those who turn up will again enjoy the show. 

“(Adelaide) certainly showed what it can be when people accept it for what it is. If people go into it with an open mind, wanting to watch great golf and not care about all the propaganda, then they’ll enjoy themselves,” Baker said. 

“It’s just a lot of fun.” 

With 30,000 spectators in attendance in 2023 and increased numbers expected through the gates this time around, LIV will again showcase an alternative tournament experience, with music playing, party holes and a team’s championship to coincide with the individual event. 

Despite being much maligned by golf traditionalists due to the different way of doing things, some of that criticism also directed at many of the individual players involved, Baker expressed that the outside noise has only managed to galvanise all those on the LIV Tour. 

“They were outcasts, rebels, whatever you wanted to call them, they stuck together and there is that feeling of camaraderie. I think there’s a real brotherhood, that’s a good word for it. Especially for the guys who were there from the beginning,” Baker said. 

The field for LIV Adelaide, which tees off at The Grange from April 26-28, will also feature Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and recent LIV winner Abraham Ancer.