LIV Golf
LIV Golf announces broadcast partners, team for inaugural London event
Andrew Redington
LIV Golf announced its opening event this week in London will be shown on Facebook, YouTube and its own website.
One of the many questions surrounding the Saudi-backed golf venture was which network would carry the fledgling league. However, at least in the United States, LIV Golf will have to launch from social and online platforms only. LIV Golf did announce its product will be aired on global networks in a release, but did not specify which, only saying a list of broadcasters will be made available on its website later this week.
Leading the coverage will be Arlo White. Primarily known for his work in the Premier League soccer, White has been tapped as LIV Golf’s play-by-play voice. As reported by Golf Digest last week, former Golf Channel commentator Jerry Foltz is signed on to be the series’ primarily analyst, with Asian Tour broadcaster Dom Boulet completing the three-person booth. Also part of the LIV Golf broadcast team will be long-drive competitor Troy Mullins and FOX Sports Asia analyst Su-Ann Heng.
This week’s event at the Centurion Club outside of London kicks off the circuit’s eight-tournament series. Each will be a three-round, 54-hole competition with no cut. There will also be shotgun starts in order to fit the events in a shorter time window, along with a team component, with 48 players divided between 12 squads. Five of the events will be held in the United States. Those sites are Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland (July 1-3), Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. (July 29-31), The International in Boston (Sept. 2-4), Rich Harvest Farms outside Chicago (Sept. 16-18) and Trump Doral in Miami (Oct. 29-31). Other hosts include Stonehill Golf Club in Bangkok and Royal Greens Golf Club in Jeddah.
Dustin Johnson headlines the inaugural field—although one more player is expected to be announced later on Monday. Other notable names in the field include Louis Oosthuizen, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Talor Gooch, Martin Kaymer, Kevin Na and Ian Poulter. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan has promised that any tour member who competes in an event on the rival league would face suspension from the PGA Tour and possibly a lifetime ban. The tour denied conflicting-event releases to all tour members who requested to compete in LIV Golf’s inaugural event.