The LIV Golf Invitational Series has been one of the game’s major talking points in 2022, with discussion ranging from the sums of money involved, the source of the funding, identities of the players and its unique format.
The inaugural year of the Series, which began in June, comprises eight-tournaments funded by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, the Public Investment Fund. The source of the funding is at the heart of much of its controversy, with accusations that the money is being used to sportswash the regime’s human rights record. Overall, the fund is said to have assets of over $620bn.
Because of its huge spending power, the Series has attracted some of the game’s highest-profile players. Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were the standout names from the first intake, with the pair reportedly offered around $125m and $200m to join, respectively. More big-name players followed, including Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Abraham Ancer. While announcing Ancer’s signature, LIV Golf also promised there would be more player announcements to come. Other players in the first event included Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer.
One of the least-understood aspects of the Series is what LIV stands for. The answer is that it’s the Roman numeral for 54. That is significant because each of the tournaments in the Series comprises 54 holes (rather than the more typical 72). But, according to LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, there is another meaning behind it – it’s the score a player would shoot if they were to birdie every hole of a par 72 course.
The format of the LIV Golf Series is more streamlined than we would typically expect. So, as well as tournaments being played over three days instead of four (starting Thursdays and ending on Saturday) and over 54 holes, the fields are considerably smaller, numbering just 48. Not only that, but each player is on the course simultaneously, thanks to a shotgun start. Players are paired in groups of three on different holes, with players teeing off simultaneously.
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