LIV Golf’s Mexico City event did get underway on Friday morning Australian time despite reports of players threatening to boycott, but it was not without a hitch.
LIV opened the broadcast for the sixth event of its season by trying to make a powerful statement.
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Commentator Arlo White greeted viewers by saying: “We’re delighted to report that the reports of the imminent demise of the LIV Golf league were, in fact, greatly exaggerated.”
White’s fellow commentator David Feherty then took his chance to attack the golf media who published reports in recent days of LIV’s future being in doubt due to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund pulling its funding of the breakaway league.
“I’ve been in the professional game for 50 years now and I don’t think I’ve ever had two or three days where there was more absolute nonsense spread out,” Feherty said.
“There are still some writers and broadcasters that take pride in their work, but this generation has spawned fast typists that consider themselves to be experts, and evidently they’re not.”
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LIV’s defiant act then received a boost on the golf course with Joaquin Niemann opening the tournament with an ace on the par 3 fourth – his first hole in the shotgun start format.
But then things turned dark.
The broadcast has faced technical difficulties for more than hour with none of the action from Mexico City being shown in that time.
It is reportedly due to a power issue that caused a shutdown in production.
Viewers in some parts of the world were met by a blank screen with the message ‘please stand by technical issues’, while in Australia, Channel 7 opted to show a replay of LIV Adelaide as those inside the trucks in Mexico scramble to get the problem resolved.
It also comes at an incredibly unfortunate time for LIV and is a public image nightmare as those involved fight for its survival.
News also emerged on Friday morning of LIV facing a lawsuit in the United Kingdom.
Sky Sports News’ Amar Mehta reported: “LIV Golf and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia have been sued by its predecessor, Premier Golf League.
“In a court filing from April 16, Premier Golf and it’s parent company World Golf Group Limited have filed a lawsuit against the Public Investment Fund, Golf Saudi, various LIV Golf entities and two individuals.
“The case has been filed in the London Commercial Court.
“The Premier Golf League was a proposed breakaway golf circuit, distinct from LIV Golf, designed as a rival to the PGA Tour. It was first put forward in 2019 as a concept – before LIV Golf – and has continued to pitch to players as a middle ground between LIV and the PGA Tour.
“The Premier Golf League held talks with Saudi investors about a financial partnership, but Golf Saudi instead funded a new entity in 2020 – which became LIV Golf in October 2021.”
Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour, Ludvig Aberg leads the RBC Heritage after an eight-under par first round 63.
The world No.17 finished in a share of 21st at The Masters last week, but was unable to make a serious charges as rounds of 74 and 72 bookended promising Friday and Saturday rounds of 70 and 69 respectively.
Regardless, the Swede feels there were enough positives to help him cash in this week in the US$20 million signature event at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina.
“Yeah, I think obviously coming off last week, I felt like I was playing well but made some silly mistakes that prevented me from having a real chance,” he said.
“But I also felt like in the grand scheme of things, I was swinging it nice, I was moving it nice, so I didn’t have to prepare that much in terms of my golf swing on Monday through Wednesday, and I felt like good golf was in there.
“To me, this week is more about sort of mentally being ready, mentally being charged coming off a couple of tough weeks. But hopefully I’ll be ready to go this weekend, as well.”
Hot on the heels of Aberg are Harris English and Viktor Hovland after they both shot 64.
While Michael Brennan, Gary Woodland, Ryan Fox, Rickie Fowler and Andrew Novak are all two shots off the lead after opening 65s.
Australia’s Min Woo Lee and Karl Vilips both shot one-under par 70s to start their tournament.
Jason Day is at the same mark as he plays the back nine.
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