LIV Golf has spent two years fighting for television relevance, averaging as few as 23,000 U.S. viewers in Riyadh this season. But while the screen numbers stall, the league continues to expand its footprint. Now, South Korea is locked in for a second consecutive year on the calendar.

LIV Golf confirmed that the Asiad Country Club in Busan will host LIV Golf Korea from May 28 to 31, 2026, in a multi-year agreement with the venue. Located in Korea’s second-largest city, the course has previously hosted international tournaments, including the BMW Ladies Championship and the 2002 Asian Games, and is regarded as one of the country’s finest championship venues.

“Bringing LIV Golf back to Korea, and to Busan for the first time, is an important next step for the league and for our fans here. The appetite for LIV Golf continues to grow, and Asiad Country Club and the city of Busan give us a venue that meets our ambitions for the event, both competitively and culturally in Korea. We’re excited to build on the momentum from our debut last season and deliver another memorable week for Korean fans,” Scott O’Neil, CEO of LIV Golf, said.

Additionally, fans can join the waitlist now at LIVGolf.com to secure tickets, with hospitality and grounds pass details to be announced soon. Premium hospitality and corporate experiences will be available for purchase, alongside specialty-priced group tickets for parties of 10 or more. Children aged 12 and under will receive complimentary Grounds Pass admission (one per paying adult).

The debut of this run came at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon in May 2025, where the event drew strong on-ground attendance and a high-profile field, although the viewership numbers stayed within the tour’s typical season range of 175,000 to 484,000. Bryson DeChambeau won that edition at 19-under, edging Charles Howell III by two shots.

And the decision to return suggests LIV liked what it saw.

However, schedule growth alone cannot mask the league’s persistent television problem.

FOX broadcasts averaged 338,000 viewers during the 2025 season, with the final rounds getting around 385,000 viewers. This is much lower than PGA Tour events like the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, which drew about 2.9 million viewers. Despite getting more airtime, LIV Golf’s TV problems have continued into 2026. The season opener in Riyadh drew about 23,000 U.S. viewers over four days, a small increase from 19,000 in 2025.

Away from the schedule and ratings noise, the weekend did produce a genuine on-course story worth talking about.

Jon Rahm’s victory in Hong Kong was a long time coming. The Spaniard had finished runner-up in each of his previous four individual LIV events, spanning the end of last season and the start of this one. He closed it out at 23-under for the week, finishing three strokes clear of Thomas Detry, with rounds of 66, 62, 65, and 64.

“That is the exact word I would use, very relieved. Very, very relieved,” Rahm said after his final round. “Just happy it’s over in that sense.”

This was the 31-year-old’s third LIV Golf win overall and his first since the Chicago event in September 2024. In the team standings, Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces took top honors, finishing 58-under, six strokes clear of the field. LIV Golf moves next to Singapore, with Sentosa Golf Club hosting before the inaugural LIV Golf South Africa at The Club at Steyn City.

Whether Rahm competes in Busan remains to be seen, but LIV’s ambitions in Korea extend well beyond any single player.

LIV Golf’s Korea strategy

South Korea is relatively uncrowded on the elite men’s golf calendar. The DP World Tour’s Korea Championship, which only launched in 2023, is the only other major men’s event held there with any regularity. That limited competition gives LIV room to plant roots and build a loyal local following without fighting for space.

The numbers from LIV’s international stops help explain why the league keeps looking east.

International venues have already proven to be LIV’s strongest ground. LIV Golf Adelaide drew over 115,000 spectators across four days in recent editions, a number that puts U.S. television averages, which have sometimes fallen under 350,000 viewers, into sharp perspective. The crowd energy abroad is simply harder to replicate stateside.

“We are proud to welcome the LIV Golf League back to Korea and to host the event in Busan for the first time this May. Bringing a global sporting event of this scale to our city reflects Busan’s growing role as an international destination for sport, culture, and tourism. We look forward to welcoming players, fans, and visitors from around the world and showcasing the hospitality of Busan,” Mr. Park Heong-joon, Mayor of Busan Metropolitan City, said.

The announcement of LIV Korea in 2026 marks the final event to be unveiled for LIV Golf’s 2026 season.

Additionally, the league built a Korean-focused team around Byeong Hun An alongside Minkyu Kim, Younghan Song, and Danny Lee, and moved on from Kevin Na and Jinichiro Kozuma, a call that drew criticism but made the intent clear. LIV is not just playing in Korea; it is actively trying to belong there.