The LIV Tour – essentially the most controversial touring circus in sporting historical past – will quickly be on Australian shores, however will it’s good for Australian golf?
the details:
- The LIV Tour can be coming to Adelaide for an occasion in April
- Australian golf legend Carrie Webb is puzzled over whether or not the controversial Tour can be good for the game on this nation
- Whereas it’ll increase the game’s profile, Webb is anxious in regards to the origin of the Tour’s funding and the dearth of alternatives it’ll present younger Australian golfers.
The Saudi-backed breakaway golf league will descend on Adelaide in April for the third occasion of the inaugural LIV Golf League, the place 48 of the world’s finest gamers will battle it out for a staggering $20 million prize.
LIV, by which Australian legend Greg Norman serves as CEO, has ignited heated controversy since its launch. Australian golf legend Carrie Webb has been divided over whether or not she can be good for the game on this nation.
“I feel it might be good to have golf in Australia in April when it is not, and that places golf within the headlines,” Webb advised ABC Grandstand.
“As soon as the summer season of golf is over right here, the one headlines are whether or not the Aussie does nicely abroad.
“It is good that Adelaide has such a giant occasion, I beloved it after we performed there on the Australian Open all these years – the South Australian followers have been an enormous help, so it is nice for them and nice to have the perfect Australian gamers again.
“However by way of giving alternatives to different younger Australians to play, it does not. The 48 gamers journey all over the world and play collectively they usually do not present any alternatives aside from [for] These 48.
“For those who take a look at it pretty much as good for golf, what avenues are good for golf? Some are good and a few aren’t. You possibly can select it nonetheless you need.”
Webb stated her foremost level of competition with the LIV idea was how the dizzying contracts provided to the world’s high gamers for defecting from the PGA Tour bolstered the worst aspect of {golfing} stereotypes.
And whereas there are elements of the brand new tour that would assist entice a brand new fan base to the game Webb loves, the 48-year-old is uncomfortable with the way in which the Saudi Arabia-backed tour has been funded.
“The messages from the LIV tour are usually not what I wish to see about golf. Leaping from essentially the most profitable spherical and going to a different spherical to get extra money, that is the stigma of golf we’re making an attempt to eliminate — it is a wealthy man’s sport,” Webb stated. These messages are usually not the perfect.”
“However there are issues in regards to the LIV Tour that I feel are compelling. The workforce side is compelling and may create new, youthful followers.
“On the finish of the day, I am not in opposition to new competitors in golf or new excursions, it is simply the way in which it is being dealt with and, for me, fairly frankly the way in which it is being funded.
“The way in which you are funded is the most important hurdle for me.”
Growing the game in Australia is one thing near Webb’s coronary heart and she or he believes the crop of incoming feminine golfers is among the many strongest the nation has ever produced.
With famous person Minjee Lee capturing one other main championship final yr and the likes of Hannah Inexperienced, Grace Kim and Steve Kiriakou shining vibrant, the longer term seems brighter than ever.
Webb stated, “She (Mingie Lee) had an amazing yr final yr and actually got here into her personal. I am approach forward of her this yr, she’s constructing a very nice profession, so I will be on the lookout for her to play nicely.” .
“I used to be on the lookout for Hannah Inexperienced to interrupt into the winners circle, aside from not profitable the LGPA, that was the one factor she did not do, it was her most constant yr.
“We’ve got Steve Kiriakou, she performed very well in her rookie yr and it took her a few months to settle in however as soon as she performed very well.
“Gracie Kim, she’s a expertise and a star within the making, I feel she’s going to have just a little little bit of early LGPA nerves early within the yr, as she will get into this necessary time.
“However she’s prepared, she simply has to suppose she’s able to take the subsequent step and as soon as she thinks the sky is the restrict for her.”
Webb will take to the course herself at subsequent month’s Victorian Open as she returns to the occasion for the primary time since 2020.