Adelaide 2023: The Low Down

The LIV Golf League makes its first appearance in Australia with record breaking attendance expected each round at The Grange.

Ripper GC, the all-Australian team captained by Cameron Smith (born in Queensland) along with teammates Marc Leishman (Victoria),  Matt Jones (New South Wales) and Jediah Morgan (Queensland), seeks its first team victory in front of the home crowd.

Groupings for Friday’s opening round of LIV Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Club include a couple of firsts in LIV Golf’s short history:

Although there have been all-captain threesomes at previous LIV Golf events, the 12 captains have never been grouped specifically in four consecutive threesomes. The threesome starting on hole No. 1 Friday includes Ripper GC’s Cameron Smith, Smash GC’s (and LIV Golf Orlando winner) Brooks Koepka, and Majesticks GC co-captain Ian Poulter.

The other captain-only threesomes include Torque GC’s Joaquin Niemann, 4Aces GC’s Dustin Johnson and RangeGoats GC’s Bubba Watson starting on No. 2; Stinger GC’s Louis Oosthuizen, Iron Heads GC’s Kevin Na and Cleeks GC’s Martin Kaymer on hole No. 3; and Crushers GC’s Bryson DeChambeau, Fireballs GC’s Sergio Garcia and HyFlyers GC’s Phil Mickelson on hole No. 3.

The shotgun start Friday is set for 11:45 a.m. local time.

The Grange’s two internationally rated courses (West and East) will be used as a composite layout for LIV Golf Adelaide.

Holes 9-10 and 12-18 of the East course, redesigned by LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman in 2012, will provide hole Nos. 1-9 for the composite course. 

The back nine of the West course, redesigned by former Australian pro Mike Clayton, will provide hole Nos. 10-18 for the composite course.

The East course has been ranked among Australia’s top 50 courses and was the site of Norman’s first professional win in 1976.

The West course hosted the 2016 and 2019 Women’s Australian Open and is a quintessential sand belt layout. 

Rough has been growing since early February to provide defence off the tee, while firm and fast greens also will challenge players.

Much talk has been made of LIV Golf introducing a party hole, similar to that of the PGA's WM Phoenix Open at Scottsdale and infamous 16th, surrounded by viewing stands and raucous fans. It remains to be seen whether Adelaide  will be able to LIV up to the expectations, but at a glance things look promising.

Whilst arguments for and against LIV Golf will undoubtedly rage on as the organisation continues to shake things up, it appears to have been welcomed with open arms down-under, and will no doubt generate a carnival-like atmosphere, “[It’s] going to be so pumped … with the music going, then drinking – knowing how the Australians like to drink and have fun – it’s going to be wild time,” said Matt Jones.