LIV Golf returns to action after a three-week break that has seen Scottie Scheffler further stamp his authority on the game. The Tour heads Down Under this week for LIV Golf Adelaide.
2024 LIV Golf League
LIV Golf Adelaide
Grange Club
26 – 28 March
LIV Golf returns to action after a three-week break that has seen Scottie Scheffler further stamp his authority on the game. Greg Norman and his cohorts will be disappointed with a somewhat lacklustre Augusta showing.
Bryson DeChambeau came out of the gates hot to lead after round 1. But he gradually faded and no other LIV player really figured too much in the overall reckoning. Greg Norman was also forced to pay for his own entrance in a pretty melodramatic snub by the Augusta faithful.
Be that as it may, LIV Golf swings back into action this week for the 2nd successive edition of the Adelaide event. This was really the LIV Tour’s crowning glory last season. it was a resounding success that went some way to legitimising the whole shifty enterprise.
In fact, it was named the World’s Best Golf Event by the World Golf Awards. Greg Norman has deep roots in the area and generates plenty of goodwill in these parts. Talor Gooch soared to victory last season, shooting back-to-back 62’s to set him up for a maiden LIV title.
Grange Golf Course
Grange Golf Course is intrinsically connected to the journey of renegade Greg Norman. He won his first professional title here and would also go on to oversee a makeover of the course. This layout is actually a composite of the East and West Courses.
It is located in the Adelaide Sandbelt (which is often shunned in favour of its more storied Melbourne counterpart). But this layout looks like a fascinating, idiosyncratic test. Measuring at a smidge under 7,000 yards, this sneaky little layout allows some wiggle room for the less bombastic drivers.
I think finding fairways will be vital this week. There are a host of devilish red sand traps waiting to swallow your ball if you can’t find the right contours of the fairways. Also, look for players who are able to negotiate the blustery conditions that tend to appear in this region.
The Contenders
Jon Rahm leads the markets this week as he goes in search of his maiden LIV victory. He was disappointing at Augusta and I’m sure he will enjoy this more laidback, informal atmosphere. Joaquin Niemann has been the star performer on this year’s LIV circuit and he will clearly be one to watch this week.
Bryson DeChambeau was in the mix at Augusta before a disastrous third round that saw him three-putt on four occasions. He will relish the return to LIV and he could go really low this week.
Elsewhere, superstars such as DJ and Kopeka will look to gather some momentum ahead of the year’s remaining Major Championships.
Past Winner
2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
To Win Outright:
Jon Rahm 13/2 | Joaquin Niemann 9/1 | Cameron Smith 10/1 | Bryson DeChambeau 10/1 | Tyrrell Hatton 11/1
Value Bet
Abraham Ancer- To Win 22/1 | To Place 48/10
Abraham Ancer and Joaquin Niemann were part of that 2019 President’s Cup squad that gave America a run for its money at Royal Melbourne. As such, they have both enjoyed solid support in the country since. Ancer will be excited by this short, firm layout. The Mexican finished 20th last year when he was completely out of sorts. This year he arrives in a different headspace, winning the LIV Hong Kong last month. Ancer won the 2018 Australian Open by five shots and I think the accurate Mexican has a decent chance this week.
The Man to Beat- Louis Oosthuizen- To Win 20/1 | To Place 44/10
I know, I know. Louis Oosthuizen to win has hardly been the safest bet over the past decade. But you can’t deny that the 41-year-old South African is in absolutely scintillating form. He has finished inside the top 10 in three of his five LIV starts, finishing T2 at Jeddah and T7 at Miami. Oosthuizen won back-to-back events on the DP World Tour in December and he also finished runner-up at the International Series Oman in February. Oosthuizen ranks fourth on LIV in birdies made and first in putting. He isn’t one of the bigger drivers out there but that shouldn’t matter on this 6, 946-yard test.
