Imagine hitting a terrible golf shot and having Sergio Garcia dramatically remove his hat, hold his head, and shake with mocking disapproval right in front of you! That’s exactly what happened to LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil during the Pro-Am at LIV Adelaide, a moment he couldn’t help but laugh about on the recent Girl Dad Podcast. Meanwhile, LIV Golf Adelaide shattered records with 102,483 fans packing The Grange Golf Club over three days, creating a $71.1 million economic impact for South Australia as the Saudi-backed league continues its viewership battle with the PGA Tour.

This record-breaking turnout comes as LIV Golf fights to establish itself against the PGA Tour’s dominance, following a challenging season opener in Riyadh that attracted just 12,000 viewers on FOX Sports 2. The electric atmosphere at Adelaide, enhanced by performances from top DJs DOM DOLLA and Fisher, showcased LIV’s strategy of blending golf with entertainment while also demonstrating a more fan-friendly broadcast approach. As O’Neil shared these behind-the-scenes moments, his stories revealed the more personal side of golf that fans rarely get to see.

O’Neil’s laughter was infectious as he recalled Garcia’s theatrical reactions during their Pro-Am round. “I played my Pro with Sergio Garcia, and when I would hit a bad shot, he would do this,” O’Neil explained, mimicking the Spanish golfer’s exaggerated disappointment. “It was so brutal,” he added with a chuckle, confessing that his opening holes were particularly rough. “My first three holes were so bad,” he admitted, making the CEO’s vulnerability part of the charm of the story. “CEO jobs can get lonely,” O’Neil reflected, highlighting how these moments of camaraderie on the golf course provide a welcome respite from executive pressure.

The conversation highlighted more than just awkward golf swings. O’Neil enthusiastically described Patrick Reed’s electrifying hole-in-one at the par-3 12th “Watering Hole” that sent the massive crowd into a frenzy and became a viral moment that helped drive LIV’s viewership surge. “Patrick Reed, one of my favorite guys, plays for Four Aces, which is Dustin Johnson’s team, had a hole-in-one, which is very hard to do as you can imagine, and the place went ballistic,” he recalled, eyes wide with excitement. “They were throwing their drinks, it was a big celebration; the video is unbelievable.”

These engaging stories emerge as LIV Golf’s viewership data shows encouraging signs. The Adelaide tournament opening round attracted 114,000 viewers on FS1 despite challenging time slots (11:20 PM to 2:15 AM), representing a nearly tenfold jump from their Riyadh opener’s 12,000 viewers. The final round performed even better, bringing in 249,000 American viewers on Fox. Combined with Australian viewership, the tournament reached 474,000 viewers for the final round. Though still well behind the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational (3.4 million viewers), this dramatic growth trajectory has LIV executives optimistic about narrowing the gap, especially when considering strategic location choices for future events.

While O’Neil’s experience with Garcia captures the personal essence of Pro-Am events, these player-amateur pairings have a rich history of creating memorable moments that extend far beyond the scorecard.

Scott O’Neil and memorable Pro-Am moments throughout golf history

Pro-Am events have long created some of golf’s most unforgettable cultural moments, where professional excellence meets amateur enthusiasm in ways that transcend the sport. Bill Murray’s legendary partnership with D.A. Points at the 2011 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am stands as the gold standard. Their victory—complete with Murray’s comedic tomahawk chops and a hilariously failed chest-bump attempt—showed how Pro-Ams can perfectly balance serious competition with pure entertainment. Murray’s philosophy that he was there to “make sure no one takes this too seriously” mirrors LIV Golf’s approach to the fan experience.

The star power of Pro-Ams continued to evolve when WNBA phenomenon Caitlin Clark joined Nelly Korda and Annika Sörenstam at the 2024 Annika Pro-Am. Clark’s impressive 75-yard wedge shot to within three feet on the seventh hole, followed by a basketball-style fist pump, created a viral moment that attracted millions of new viewers to women’s golf. Their jersey swap afterward was shared more than 5.2 million times across social platforms, demonstrating how cross-sport collaborations can expand golf’s audience.

As LIV Golf and the PGA Tour continue their battle for viewers’ attention, these Pro-Am moments represent powerful tools for growing the game. LIV’s innovative approach—featuring drone coverage, interactive leaderboards, and even experimental night golf—aims to create a distinct product while honoring golf’s traditions of accessibility and entertainment. The question remains: Can LIV’s combination of star power, entertainment partnerships, and technological innovations help close the viewership gap with the PGA Tour?

What Pro-Am moment in golf history stands out most in your memory? Let us know in the comments below!