Earlier this year, there was a fleeting moment when LIV looked like it could gain a bit of legitimacy (regardless of the shocking ratings, etc).
Anthony Kim’s fairytale victory in Adelaide was arguably the first LIV victory that truly transcended the confines of the tour. DeChambeau and Rahm- the two key figureheads of the tour- shared four successive titles between them. It just felt like there was a tiny ember of interest that- with the right coaxing- could possibly turn into a spark. Any hope of a LIV boom was put to bid by the crushing news that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop funding after the season. It was a crippling blow that felt like victory for the traditional golfing brass. And despite the brave face they are putting on; the tour knows where things are at. And the most recent event in Korea gave me even more creepy Oompa Loompa vibes.
Dwindling fanfare
Did anyone in the world know that there was a LIV event in Korea this past week? Sure, I know that these events haven’t traditionally been well advertised or marketed. But I literally never knew there was an event until I happened upon some scores on Saturday morning. It feels as if the entire marketing budget behind this failed experiment is thinking of austerity measures. Regardless, LIV Golf pioneer Joaquin Niemann held off a surging Bryson before taking down Talor Gooch in a playoff. It was the 8th LIV title of Niemann’s career, making him the winningest player in the albeit short history of this rebel tour. And all I have to say about that is this: who cares?
Niemann dominance is a slight on tour, not a feature
And this is in no way to demean the accomplishments of Niemann. The elegant Chilean has been sensational since his LIV defection, using his flawless tee-to-green game to power himself to eight wins. He has made about $76 million from prize money and bonuses, narrowly trailing Rahm as the most financially successful player on tour. Moreover, he received a reported nine-figure signing bonus when he took the dastardly LIV plunge (he was the highest ranked player in the world under the age of 25 when he left). Yet despite all this, Niemann has only one top ten finish in Major Championship golf! The disparity between his woeful major record and elite LIV form is a scathing indictment of the entire LIV enterprise. The more he wins on LIV; the less legitimate it feels.
AI to the rescue?
But perhaps the more telling sign of disharmony came from seemingly innocuous statements made by Bryson DeChambeau. The true needle-mover of the LIV Tour, DeChambeau endured his share off struggles off the tee in Korea. But he managed to iron those kinks out in the final round, shooting a barnstorming 65 to fall just one shot short of a playoff. What did he attribute to his stark turnaround? Incessant tinkerer DeChambeau said that Google Gemini had come to the rescue, advising him to lighten his grip.
Overstating the obvious
Ok, let’s unpack this a little. Notwithstanding all the ethical issues with the encroachment of AI, are we really meant to think that DeChambeau- the most incessant perfectionist in the sport- made crucial swing alterations because of Google Gemini? Lightening your grip is one of the most basic, commonsense adjustments you could make. Sure, Google Gemini probably would make that suggestion. But I highly doubt that it hadn’t crossed the two-time US Open champ’s mind already.
Planning life beyond LIV
I think there are darker forces at play. DeChambeau has been quite candid in recent speculation about his future in a post-LIV world, suggesting that he is very comfortable with the idea of existing purely in the YouTube space. I think this was simply another wink-wink, nudge-nudge to any potential investor in the ‘Bryson Project’. Lest we forget, Bryson signed a partnership with Google Cloud in September to apparently ‘expand his AI aspirations’ (whatever that means). Perhaps a fully AI Bryson would be a more elegant putter. In April, him and a group of other investors purchased Sportsbook AI, a biomechanics app for your phone. It just feels like this Google Gemini name-drop is part of some calculated career move and further evidence that the jig may be up.
