Sir Bob hits out at talk of LIV Golf in NZ
The biggest party in golf could be coming to Christchurch but New Zealand golfing legend Sir Bob Charles is distancing himself from the idea.
Rumours have been circulating that the Saudi-backed LIV Golf is teeing up an event in the Garden City, possibly as early as next year.
The Herald understands LIV Golf has been looking at the possibility of bringing a high-profile tournament to Christchurch Golf Club — New Zealand’s second oldest club — and one where Charles is a patron.
Christchurch Golf Club general manager Mike Hadley confirmed to the Herald that LIV Golf officials have “visited” the course but as yet, “there’s been no follow-up”.
However, Charles says he would want nothing to do with the rebel tour, which has fractured the professional golfing landscape and driven a wedge between the sport’s biggest stars by offering megamillion-dollar deals.
“I hope they’re not playing at either of my golf courses”, says Charles, who lives in Christchurch and is also closely linked to Clearwater Golf Club.
“I don’t endorse LIV golf in any way — in fact, quite the opposite.”
LIV launched in 2021 and has since made huge signings with massive multimillion-dollar deals attracting Brooks Koepka, John Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Cameron Smith among many other high-profile golfers.
On the other side of the green is the PGA Tour. Once the controlling figure in professional golf, the PGA has had its grip on the game wrenched away — along with dozens of its greatest players. It still boasts names such as Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele — but it used to have them all.
The agitation caused by LIV has also wound up Charles, the first New Zealander to win a major (1963 British Open).
“I want nothing to do with it. I wouldn’t walk across the street to watch,” he told the Herald when approached for comment.
The closest LIV has come to New Zealand shores is Adelaide — hosting a tournament for the second time earlier this year.
The event, going by LIV’s statistics, was a resounding success. It offered an eye-watering prize pool ($43 million) and attracted almost 100,000 spectators across three days at the Grange Golf Club.
The previous year, a smaller crowd also chugged its way through almost 117,000 beers.
LIV Golf has proved hugely popular with a younger demographic.
In Adelaide, the party only began at the “Watering Hole” and it kicked on long after the final putt dropped and well into the night, with headline artists including Tones And I, DJ Fisher and Flight Facilities.
The three-day event was also a boon for South Australian tourism — according to LIV.
Christchurch is in the market for such an event, having recently lost its leg of the popular Sail GP Series.
When Christchurch was successful in securing Russell Coutts’ revolutionary regatta, it was the city’s economic development agency, ChristchurchNZ, that sat at the negotiating table.
But when approached to address the LIV Golf rumours this week, the agency refused to comment.
“ChristchurchNZ has no comment to make,” said a senior communications manager.
While Christchurch Golf Club confirmed that LIV Golf had paid it a visit, questions to the rebel tour from the Herald have gone unanswered.
Charles, however — the winner of multiple PGA Tour events across his career and many more on the Senior PGA Tour — believes there is no room for LIV Golf, in Christchurch or anywhere.
“They’ve been hugely disruptive to the game of golf,” he said.