Greg Norman promises an even wilder party at the Watering Hole when LIV Golf returns to Adelaide in 2024: ‘I think you can get more spectators there’

Greg Norman has assured golf enthusiasts they can look forward to an even bigger and more vibrant ‘Party Hole’ when LIV Golf Adelaide returns to South Australia in early 2024.

Any uncertainties surrounding the success of Greg Norman’s controversial LIV Rebels golf tour in Australia were dispelled at last year’s Adelaide tournament.

LIV Golf Adelaide made waves in the golfing world when Chase Koepka scored a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th hole at The Grange Golf Club, sending the crowd into a frenzy of excitement.

The tournament witnessed huge crowds at every hole, prompting Australian golf professional Nathan Carey to describe the atmosphere as ‘electric’.

In contrast to the traditional, muted tones of golf, the LIV tournament featured music playing as the stars took their shots. The 12th hole was even named the ‘Watering Hole’, reminiscent of the famous Party Hole at the Phoenix Open.

Speaking to Australian Golf Digest, Norman hinted at the possibility of expanding the Party Hole to take full advantage of its immense popularity.

“I think the success of the watering hole can be expanded because of its popularity,” Norman said.

“I think you can get more spectators there.”

Norman calls the Adelaide tournament the benchmark for the breakout tour as he promises to boost crowd numbers at next year’s event.

The Grange course in Adelaide’s western coastal suburbs will again host the Australian LIV golf tournament from April 26 to 28 next year.

Last year, more than 77,000 spectators attended LIV’s first Australian event over three sold-out days at The Grange.

“Our goal is to reach more than 30,000 spectators per day,” Norman told reporters at The Grange on Saturday.

“It’s easier said than done… (but) for us, that’s what we’re supposed to do and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Norman described the Adelaide event as ‘the highlight tournament’ of the LIV season due to the atmosphere, fan engagement and younger crowd.

“All of these things created a benchmark for the other 13 events we have around the world,” said Norman, CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf.

“Every time we talk about moving forward… we talk about the success of LIV Adelaide.

“(It) just created the benchmark of what our platform really represents: entertainment, sports, fun, fandom.”

The first Australian tournament was held amid acrimony between LIV Golf, funded by Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund, and the US PGA Tour.

The two agencies have since concluded a peace deal that includes a merger framework, but details have yet to be released.

“I’m not involved in those negotiations…I don’t know what the framework agreement is,” Norman said.

‘But I do know that from our perspective we look to the future: we are now sending out contracts for three, four, five, seven years.

‘(LIV) always wanted to coexist with every other tour to give those players the opportunity to do both… to give the players the independent rights to do what they want to do.

“I’m committed to this, I’m not going anywhere.

“LIV isn’t going anywhere, contrary to what you might read in the white noise in the media.”

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said last year’s LIV Adelaide event injected $64.9 million into public coffers.

Of the 77,076 spectators, 41 percent came from outside South Africa, with 37 countries represented.

“My word, it went off,” Malinauskas told reporters.

“I cannot tell you how delighted we were as a government with how the event performed in the interest of the state.

“People were a little unsure of what to expect, but as soon as it took off, it lit up… it really captured the world’s attention in a way beyond our wildest dreams.”

The Adelaide event is the first of LIV’s 14 tournaments with dates confirmed for next year.