LIV Golf started delivering what the Saudis dreamed of a year later, amid PGA tour merger and ridicule like it or not the track claims it’s not going anywhere

A final day duel between Cameron Smith and Phil Mickelson appeared to be playing on the Trump National Bedminster fairways. Two of golf’s biggest names go head-to-head on Sunday, anyone would think it was the PGA Tour. But it wasn’t, this was golf but louder.

Last year, Bedminster hosted the third-ever LIV tournament, with new defector Henrik Stenson winning his first event on the breakaway circuit and the future of the breakaway uncertain. The majority of golf fans believed it would not survive another year in the middle of the war with the PGA Tour.

But a year later, it returned to Donald Trump’s New Jersey course for his 11th tournament of his sophomore season, with Smith’s eventual victory and Mickelson’s collapse on the back of Bryson DeChambeau’s 58 last week adding to the entertaining storyline. delivered what the Saudis paid for.

The future of LIV is still unclear with questions about the feasibility of its existence following the shocking peace treaty between the PGA Tour and LIV’s financiers, Saudi Arabia’s PIF.

But more than a year into its existence, LIV has already proven that it’s here to stay and won’t go anywhere. In fact, it plans decades ahead.

Last year, LIV Bedminster was derided as merely a political publicity stunt for Donald Trump, with swarms of his supporters following him instead of the professionals.

But LIV proved that the focus was very much on golf this year.

The crowds had grown compared to last year, and they weren’t just there for the former president this time, as crowds followed the last day grouping of Smith, Mickelson and Dean Burmester.

The galleries were also full, compared to last year’s gloomy, half-empty stands, while it was a challenge to find a vantage point for the 18th green as champion Smith hit the fairway on Sunday with the customers on the ropes six rows deep .

However, the thumping music was still blaring on the course, the neighing of slightly tipsy fans could still be heard, and the teams’ brightly colored logos could still be seen everywhere, giving LIV a familiar gimmicky feel – something golf purists still will do. turn up their noses at it.

But LIV has admitted that it is not trying to woo existing PGA Tour fans. It has also claimed that it is not trying to compete with the numbers the PGA Tour can attract. Instead, it’s angling for a new demographic.

LIV is targeting a new group of fans. Those who are new to the sport but are attracted to LIV for its more relaxed, party atmosphere. Those who saw a golf event being hosted in their area – an area perhaps neglected by the PGA Tour – thought they’d stop by. Or the younger spectators who are more interested in a day out with friends and a few beers.

With the drink carts constantly making their way around the course, concession stands and bars everywhere, and the heavy beat blasting from ubiquitous loudspeakers giving it more of a festival feel than a golf tournament, LIV certainly achieved that goal.

The team concept and LIV’s fulfillment of its promise to deliver golf, but louder, still turns away rather than wins over the majority of existing golf fans. But LIV’s new target demographic seems to be on board.

There was a sea of ​​red MAGA caps, of course, but for every Trump-endorsing hat there was one with the logo of Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces, Smith’s Ripper GC, or Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers.

And a clearer indication that fans are buying the team aspect was their willingness to literally believe in it. Spectators are willing to spend $40 for a cap, $100 for a hoodie, and $110 for a polo.

In addition to the caps, patrons could be seen with trade bags filled with the 4Aces polo shirts as well as t-shirts endorsing Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC that read, “I’m Smashed.” A pun was clearly not to be wasted on the Bedminster crowd.

Two young girls also followed their father in black superhero capes with Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers logo on the back.

Children – and even some adults – stopped by the face painting booth to have their favorite team’s logo painted on their face, arm, leg or stomach.

A year after the last Bedminster event, LIV seems to have established itself as a destination for golf rather than just a Trump rally, even if it sometimes feels more like a circus.

And the breakaway really takes that team concept and runs with it.

LIV has already emphasized that its 12 teams grow their franchises in 2023 through fan engagement and sponsorship.

Koepka’s Smash GC invited young golf fans to the driving range ahead of rounds in Bedminster and Washington DC. At the event at another Trump track outside the nation’s capital in May, the youngsters met up with Koepka, fresh off his fifth major win at the PGA Championship, and on Friday his teammate Matt Wolff stopped by for a healthy chat with them.

Smash has also been rolling out more clothing in an effort to capitalize on the merchandise market. It named Bald Head Blues, a lifestyle and performance golf brand, as an apparel partner.

Meanwhile, Fireballs GC, captained by Sergio Garcia, announced Mexico Infrastructure Partners as an official partnership over the weekend.

The Eurocentric team, the Majesticks, featuring Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Laurie Canter, secured its first official global sponsor, crypto exchange OKX, in June.

But it doesn’t stop there. LIV has big plans for its franchises, including home bases, golf academies and even home courses, over the next decade.

For example, Texas native DeChambeau could set up his base and academy in Dallas.

The idea of ​​home teams for teams will also be introduced, bringing home field advantage through branding at events dedicated to a particular franchise and building local fan bases. For example, Ripper GC’s all-Australian team could have its home track in Adelaide.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg from a franchise perspective,” DeChambeau said ahead of Wednesday’s tournament.

‘I’m talking about building academies. We’re talking about academies, even golf courses, community impacts in certain areas depending on where our home base is, our home regions. India, that’s a huge untapped market that I think could have a huge economic and social impact from the game of golf. It’s untapped potential, and we’re unleashing that here.’

Attracting fans to booze and vibes, and still no OWGR points, can hardly be considered taking the golfing world by storm. But LIV clearly doesn’t care, with the infinite deep pocket of the Saudis behind it and stars as grand winner Smith on his podium, the circuit is steaming ahead in its attempt to gain at least some ground in its battle for recognition – criticism and mockery be damned.

Whether you like it or not, LIV has proven that it can no longer be ignored.