LIV Golf’s U.K. event this past weekend—the league’s return from a 47-day summer break—went off without a hitch, but as the action played out on the course, more questions emerged about LIV’s immediate and long-term future.
Crowd sizes at JCB Golf & Country Club in Staffordshire, England, were noticeable—nearly 20,000 fans were on site for the tournament’s third round Saturday, according to LIV announcer Arlo White. Popular British electronic music duo Chase & Status performed a concert Saturday after play concluded, as is typical at most LIV events. Total attendance numbers for the four-day event have not been released but could likely surpass last year’s 43,000-person figure, which was across three days.
Australian Lucas Herbert won the $4 million first-place prize from the tournament’s $30 million purse—but LIV’s long-term cash flow was cast into doubt before the first tee shots were even hit Thursday. Martin Kaymer, captain of LIV’s Cleeks GC team, told Today’s Golfer on Wednesday that the LIV Golf Michigan team championship event scheduled for Aug. 27–30 is “highly unlikely” to be played. As of last week, there had been no infrastructure buildout at the host course, The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort, per The Detroit News.
