After the conclusion of LIV Golf Adelaide, things have been good for the Saudi-backed league. People started praising the league for its recent achievements, as LIV Golf set an attendance record with over 94,000 fans over three days. The number was almost 150% of what it was in 2023. A massive feat in itself, right? As per the LPGA Tour winner, it indeed was an incredible feat!

As social media was flooded with appreciation for LIV, LPGA winner Jenny Shin shared her honest sentiments. In between doing so, she posed a fair reality check, too, targeting Jay Monahan. The golfer mentioned her take in eight simple words: “Are we finally accepting the fact that it’s not a PGA tour but it is golf?” She also shared that LIV is also offering an opportunity to witness “unbelievable shots” that everyone admires.

The LPGA Tour pro hinted that things are now coming to the point where people are inclined toward golf and not any league or Tour. She said that she has been seeing a lot of positives about the Saudi-funded circuit, and they sure have good coverage, unlike the Tour. The PGA Tour’s coverage and broadcasts lately have been very problematic and concerning. Remember the Sentry 2024 event’s first day? Viewers had to watch the leaderboard in deafening silence. Not a lot of live action on the course was shown. It has also raised a lot of questions regarding the same and caused mayhem amongst the fans.

For years, golf has been synonymous with the PGA Tour, and even the LPGA Tour and DPWT have been overshadowed by it. However, in recent times, the PGA Tour has seen a massive dip in its viewership ratings. The Valspar Championship saw a 27% decrease in viewership from its previous edition, which even got Rory McIlroy talking.

Shin’s remark hints that the time is now coming when people are associating golf with just golf. The LIV Golf CEO also expressed his sentiments to Australian Golf Digest Australia following Adelaide’s remarkable achievement. His remarks also seemed to be on a similar line to what Shin said and how LIV might be the future of the sport.

What are Greg Norman’s thoughts on this achievement?

LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman refrained from outright labeling the success of LIV Golf Adelaide 2024 as “Vindication.” Norman added, “Vindication is not the right word.” The CEO went on to express his sentiments by stating, “It’s the ignorance of others who simply didn’t understand what we were trying to do. I actually feel sorry for them because they now see the true value of LIV Golf and want to be a part of it.”

People have criticized LIV Golf since its inception for its substantial payouts and its distinct, unusual format. The circuit aims to make golf accessible to everyone, enjoyable, and globally inclusive, and by the looks of what happened in Adelaide, all of that might just be coming true. Adelaide is a prime example of putting golf and fan experience first. The watering hole, despite being smaller when compared to the infamous 16th at the TPC Scottsdale, has managed to earn huge cheers from the crowd. Norman’s revelation suggests that he believes there is a lack of awareness among people regarding the Saudi-backed league.

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Shark’s remarks also hint that he may have referenced the Official World Golf Rankings. He fought hard for his league to get accredited by OWGR, but that just didn’t happen. As a result, he withdrew the application. The identity of the “others” Norman referred to remains unclear until the CEO himself sheds some light on it.

Now that LIV Golf has been receiving praise on social media, do you think it could bring about changes in the circuit and help professionals qualify for the majors and receive OWGR if the application gets reinstated? Or will the appreciation be limited to mere praise? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.