LIV.
The word, which means ’54’ in Roman, has established itself as a league that plays a role in the axis of professional golf around the world.
Based on funds from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund called “oil money,” it challenged the professional golf league market, which was launched in 2022 and has been monopolized by the PGA Tour. In fact, the world’s top golfers, including John Lam, who was the world’s third-ranked player, Phil Mickelson, DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson, have recently moved, drawing keen attention from golfers.
Feeling a sense of crisis, the PGA Tour declared a ban on PGA participants from the LIV Golf Tour, and the emotional goal between the two leagues is deepening.
There are various reasons why the world’s top rankers are moving to LIV.
Unlike the PGA Tour, which operates on a total of 72 holes in four 18-hole stroke plays, LIV Golf will play only three rounds of 18-hole matches, and will be played on a 54-hole shotgun, which combines individual and team matches. Due to the short duration of the tournament and the nature of the shotgun that starts at the same time, players’ fatigue is relatively low as the tournament is held in the same environment.
Unlike the PGA Tour, which eliminates players whose performance is below the standard (cut-off) based on the first and second rounds, LIV Golf has no concept of a cut-off in the first place. Even the loser will receive tens of thousands of dollars in minimum prize money.
Given this situation, the biggest reason why players flock to LIV is the size of the prize money.
Rory McIlroy, ranking second in the world, won his first trophy of the year at the Zurich Classic of the PGA Tour on Wednesday. With a total prize money of 8.9 million U.S. dollars, McIlroy and his teammate Shane Lowry shared the prize money of 2.572 million dollars.
Brendan Steel won his first LIV Golf title at the LIV Golf Adelaide Championship held at the Adelaide Grange Golf Club (par 72) in Australia on the other side of the world on the 28th, a day earlier.
After finishing the tournament with 18-under 198 overall, Steele’s prize money is 4 million U.S. dollars, almost double that of McIlroy’s.
Lewis Ustuizen, who took second place at the Zurich Classic, received 2.25 million dollars in prize money and 920,000 dollars each for four players including Charles Schwarzell, who tied for third. The total prize money of Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer who took second place at the Zurich Classic is much larger than the total prize money of 525,100 dollars.
Anthony Kim, who was ranked 54th and last in the competition, also received $50,000 in prize money.
BY: 토토사이트