Incredible video shows a line stretching into the distance as LIV Golf prepares to hit Adelaide – and the gates have been open for 20 minutes
- Rebel tour suppressed for the first time
- Cameron Smith headlines Australian team
- Crowds have flocked to the event
Any doubts that Greg Norman’s controversial LIV Rebel golf tour would be a hit down under have been allayed by an astonishing video of the merchandise queue at the tournament in Adelaide.
Golf commentator Luke Elvy tweeted images of the long queue of attendees stretching into the distance on Friday morning and added the caption, “Gates have been open for 20 minutes. This is insane!’
Merchandise marquee. They line up for a ride just like at Disneyland,” he says as the camera shows the huge queue.
“I just opened the gate and everyone is flocking for merchandise.”
The Rebel tour has promised fans a very different experience than the stuffy atmosphere at PGA events.
Instead of a focus on peace and quiet during play, the LIV tournament will blast music as the stars take their photos, and the 12th has even been labeled the ‘Watering Hole’ as it attempts to recreate the Phoenix’s famous Party Hole Open mimic. .
The line of fans waiting to buy LIV merchandise stretched into the distance before play had even started on Friday morning in Adelaide
Played on Adelaide’s Grange Course – a par-72 that stretches for 6,946 yards and was the scene of Norman’s first professional victory in the West Lakes Classic in 1976 – the LIV show also differs from the more established tours in terms of how it is presented. run.
Forty-eight players compete in LIV events, which run over 54 holes over three days, rather than the standard 72 holes over four days as is common on the PGA and European Tours.
The event follows a shotgun start, with the 48 players starting simultaneously over several holes, rather than in staggered groups from the first or 10th tee.
The 48 players are divided into 12 teams and play simultaneously in two competitions – an individual and a team event. In the first case, the winner is the player with the lowest number of shots over 54 holes.
In the team event, meanwhile, multiple scores count towards each franchise’s total in each round, with the franchises with the cumulative low score being crowned team champions for that event.
Aussie British Open champion Cam Smith (pictured in Adelaide on Thursday) is one of the biggest draws for the tournament, which promises fans a party atmosphere
Smith (pictured with LIV boss Greg Norman and South Australian Prime Minister Peter Malinauskas) leads the all-Australian Ripper GC team at the event
Cameron Smith headlines the Australian and Ripper GC contingent, the all-Australian team in which he plays alongside Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Jediah Morgan.
Brooks Koepka finished second to Jon Rahm at the Masters two weeks ago and is heading to Adelaide as one of the favourites. The four-time grand winner took down LIV Golf in Orlando early this month and was one final round away from claiming his first Green Jacket.
Phil Mickelson’s performance was equally impressive as Lefty shot under seven on his final round to finish tied for second at Augusta and looking in the shape of his life at 52 years old.
Two-time main winner Dustin Johnson and 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed are also expected to be in the mix, as are Charles Howell and Danny Lee who both won LIV Golf events earlier this season.