The second day of the golf revolution and the headlines kept coming. Bryson DeChambeau, the sport’s biggest hitter, was confirmed as the latest star signing in golf LIV.
This was not a shock. DeChambeau was expected to join the Saudi-funded competition earlier in the week, but it was still confirmed by the now-usual commotion. Greg Norman, the leading figure in LIV, welcomed DeChambeau as an athlete who would “push the boundaries” of his sport.
“Bryson DeChambeau is an exciting addition to LIV Golf’s supercharged style of play,” Norman said. “He is passionate about sports, innovative in his approach and committed to pushing the boundaries in pursuit of excellence. He is not afraid to think outside the box and supports our mission to get things done. in a different way to grow our game “.
DeChambeau is expected to join the eight-event tour in its second stage, the Portland Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge later this month. House commentator Jerry Foltz was enthusiastic enough and asked the question he hoped everyone would ask, “If he’s not the captain of Smash, what are we doing?”
Smash is the name of one of 12 teams competing for a $ 3 million group prize in addition to the $ 125,000 minimum individual prizes in addition to the multimillion-dollar registration fees. The innovation of playing on both teams and individually is a clear way in which LIV is trying, in Norman’s words, to boost the sport. But on a wonderful summer afternoon at the Centurion Club outside of Hemel Hempstead it was not always so easy to identify how she has transformed.
“It’s still golf, isn’t it,” said Connor McGuigan, one of the youngest in the cohort of amateur attendees on Friday. I had gotten a free ticket from a promotional code for a podcast and was enjoying it. But it was the experience more than the sport that seemed new to him. “Teams don’t matter,” he said, “and golf feels like a kick. There are a lot of people here for fun and they’re not really watching golf. It feels a bit like the Hundred if I’m honest and there is no possibility that you have paid for a ticket “.
Charl Schwartzel, the promoter of the second round, plays in front of a small gallery of the Centurion Club. Photography: Steven Paston / PA
The rest of the people throughout the course were less caustic, but the issues about the quality of the competition were the same. The rankings early in the second day of this three-day event were topped by players such as world number 133, Hennie du Plessis and Charl Schwartzel, 126. Local stars Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were back in the group. ditto Phil Mickelson and Graeme McDowell. The fight at the top may not have been entirely convincing, but the fight between the Smash team and their rivals was simply confusing.
Leaving golf aside, the fans on the course had nothing but praise. The large fan area with its large screen, larger bar and loaded fries (£ 11 per pop) was a huge hit, as was the putting competition, which offered a prize for a trip with all the spending in Miami for two people (light catch, specific destination is Trump National Doral Miami’s “iconic blue monster”). Successful putters were regularly greeted with the greatest cheers on the field.
LIV would not publish figures on the number of ticket holders in the course, but there was no doubt that the crowds were significantly smaller than in a larger one. Undoubtedly, this had its advantages: more space for fans, easier access to the facilities, a general feeling of being well taken care of. On the other hand, only one of the people the Guardian spoke to had actually paid for a ticket and only did so because the event was close enough to his home to save money on the trip.
GOLF BUT GOOD LUCK, WELCOME TO THE FUTURE, DON’T FLASH, the big brand messages are all over Centurion. It remains to be seen to what extent it is really overloaded beyond the language, but either way the message is not really for those who enjoy the sun in Hertfordshire. At the time of writing, there were 69,000 people watching the London Invitational from home on YouTube. They are the audience that this tournament is courting. The revolution may not have been televised yet, but it is certainly being broadcast.