The LIV Golf League touched down in Asia for LIV Golf Singapore presented by Resorts World Sentosa, and the fifth event of the inaugural season was further evidence of the league’s commitment to a region it sees as “an area of growth for generations to come”.
Thousands of golf fans from Singapore and the wider region had flocked to the Sentosa Golf Club for three days of supercharged golf and entertainment, part of a 14-date season including stops in Mexico, Australia, Spain, England, Saudi Arabia and the US.
Golf fans got the opportunity to witness top-class golfers in action for the first time with the LIV Golf Singapore tournament. The event brought a lot of excitement for golf enthusiasts as it added variety to the number of events played in the country. In the last four months, many high-profile international tournaments were held in the Lion City, starting with the DP World Tour’s Singapore Classic, followed by the LPGA’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, then came the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, and the LET’s Aramco Team Series.
Spectators in Singapore were thrilled to see the line-up of top players in the 48-player list. Several of them enjoyed watching their favourite golfers live in action. Most golf fans in Asia are used to seeing perhaps one or two invited players from the European or PGA Tours. So, the prospect of watching several top players in action was too good an opportunity to miss. Some travelled from around the region and beyond to catch the action. They mentioned that such opportunities were rare in Asia, and they wouldn’t miss the chance to watch their favourite golfers play.
One father working in Singapore shared his story of how his son and daughter studying in a golf academy in Bangalore, India, managed to persuade him to fly them both to Singapore to watch the tournament. When they heard about the LIV Golf tournament coming to Singapore, he said they were excited to watch the 48 players in action.
The tournament not only brought excitement for spectators, but the new technology utilised by LIV Golf impressed even the volunteers who have worked at numerous events in Singapore. The volunteers were amazed by how the technology made their job easier, especially with large crowds around the greens.
Overall, the LIV Golf Singapore tournament meant a lot to Singaporeans and brought joy and excitement to golf enthusiasts in the country.
The excitement accelerated as Talor Gooch held off Sergio Garcia for a thrilling play-off victory on the Serapong, emerging triumphant from a strong field which included 13 major winners and some of the biggest names in world golf, to secure his second individual title in two weeks and also claim a first-ever team victory for the RangeGoats GC.
LIV Golf has already shown its commitment to developing golf in the region with a significant investment of US$300 million into the Asian Tour’s International Series, a schedule of marquee events throughout the season showcasing the game’s strength in different markets around the world.
That investment is playing an important role in the development of golf in the region, showcasing the depth of talent around the globe and also shining the spotlight on the world-class venues and championship-level courses in diverse markets such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Egypt, Morocco, Qatar and Oman in the Middle East.
It has also offered an important gateway to the big stage for players on the Asian Tour. Scott Vincent gave evidence of his undoubted talents this weekend by finishing fourth, two shots behind Gooch and Garcia and a shot behind four-time major winner Brooks Koepka with a 15-under three-round aggregate that included a stunning nine-under second round.
The Zimbabwean had secured his lucrative ticket to the 2023 season of the LIV Golf League last term by winning the International Series Order of Merit, giving the 30-year-old a place on the Iron Heads GC team alongside Kevin Na, Sihwan Kim and Danny Lee.
Vincent said, “To end up two shots short of a play-off means you did a lot of things really well. So I’m really happy with how that went. These are the type of situations that we want to be in because that’s how you get better at it. So I continue to use all this as a learning platform for me, and I still hope that my game continues to rise to an even higher level.”
Greg Norman, CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf/Getty Images)
CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman explained LIV Golf’s strategic approach to the Asian market as he said, “It was recognised very early on that the Asian market is a sleeping giant. We originally invested US$300 million into the Asian Tour for a specific reason. We know this is where the growth is going in the game of golf for generations to come.
“Our data point on that is the fact that 65 percent of all golf courses built in the world today are from the GCC to the Asia-Pacific Rim. It is a huge basin and a huge opportunity going forward. This is just the start. I’ve been involved with golf here, and I understand and follow this very, very closely because of my golf course design business. I recognise it.”
Norman, a two-time major winner and former world No.1 golfer, added, “I have had a close affinity with Asia for a long, long period of time, both on and off the golf course and through my golf diplomacy, so I’m going to stay supremely focused on that region. Looking into the future and building into the future, Asia is going to be a dynamic place to be able to grow the game.”
Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour CEO and Commissioner, said, “The International Series is an important milestone in the development of golf in the region, one which allows us to showcase the talent of the players and also underscores the incredible facilities and infrastructure in our key markets.
According to Cho, the future for golf in Asia is bright and with the International Series now reaching different venues in new and established golfing markets, including the Middle East and Europe, golf enthusiasts around the world can now witness the increasing strength of the Tour and the ascendency of the game here in Asia.
