First, the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced it is withdrawing funding at the end of this season, giving LIV only months to secure new investment and keep the tour alive.
Then reports emerged that Bryson DeChambeau spoke with PGA Tour officials at The Masters about a possible return. The two-time major winner was furious with the course conditions in Mexico and withdrew from the tournament early with a wrist injury.
But this week, they had an opportunity to steal back some ground on the PGA Tour, but instead, they blew it.
This week on the PGA Tour is the Zurich Classic, a team event that hasn’t exactly captured the imagination of the golfing world. Only three star names are teeing off in New Orleans, Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka, and Matt Fitzpatrick, so it’s a massive comedown from the RBC Heritage last week.
So why on earth are LIV Golf not playing? This was a massive opportunity for LIV to dominate the golfing landscape with an event, drawing eyes away from an unpopular PGA Tour event.
Instead, they played in Mexico last week, going up against one of the most-watched Signature Events of the PGA Tour season in the RBC Heritage. Matt Fitzpatrick’s playoff win over Scottie Scheffler drew over four million viewers.
Meanwhile, LIV’s peak viewership during their Mexico event was 396,000. That’s great compared to their usual standard but nothing compared to their rivals on the PGA Tour.
This week, LIV could have stolen center stage. Instead, it’s waiting in the wings.
So when is LIV’s next event? They’re back on American soil for LIV Virginia on May 7, teeing off at Trump National.
But that’s another blunder, as that clashes with yet another Signature Event on the PGA Tour, the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow. A number of PGA Tour stars will be teeing off to refine their game a week before the PGA Championship at Aronimink.
So, instead of playing in Mexico or Virginia during the only down week the PGA Tour has between The Masters and the PGA Championship, LIV Golf decided to go head-to-head with Signature Events.
That’s a massive blunder, and one they really could not afford right now.