Norman 'feels sorry' for LIV Golf haters as Burmester tells fans to 'STFU'

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman says he 'feels sorry' for the doubters as a record 94,000 fans attend LIV Golf Adelaide.

28 Apr 2024

Greg Norman has a message for his haters

Greg Norman admits he 'feels sorry' for those that have ever doubted the LIV Golf League after a record-breaking 94,000 fans attended its latest Adelaide event.

Norman made his feelings be known in an interview with Australian Golf Digest as he watched America's Brendan Steele win the tournament and home-favourites Ripper GC led by Cameron Smith take the team event.

LIV Golf Adelaide saw a reported 94,000 spectators attend all three days of action at the Grange Golf Club.

That is up from 77,000 on debut in 2023.

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Aussie Aussie Aussie 👏#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/KiKUVb8jpc
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 28, 2024

While a record for a LIV Golf tournament, it falls well behind the record PGA Tour attendance at the 2018 WM Phoenix Open, which drew 719,179 fans on the ground for the week.

Nevertheless, the 69-year-old Australian was delighted with the latest numbers and how it all played out in Adelaide once again.

🚨📊⛳️ #NEW: LIV GOLF announces record setting attendance for their Adelaide event with 94,000 fans on site over the 3 days of competition.
Have seen some comparisons to the Waste Management mentioned, which has pulled between 500-800k fans over the 4 day tournament during the… pic.twitter.com/uyDfa7zq7d
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 28, 2024

Norman told Australian Golf Digest:

“Vindication is not the right word.
"It’s the ignorance of others who simply didn’t understand what we were trying to do.
"I actually feel sorry for them [doubters] now they see the true value of LIV Golf and want to be a part of it.”

LIV Golf CEO Norman added:

“The support Australia gave me during my own playing career for decades was something I have never forgotten.
“It’s why I brought LIV Golf back home – I did it for them. The people have well and truly spoken. Both individual and team golf is alive and well in Australia and they deserve it. I knew they would support this event.
“I’m feeling extremely proud right now. With what we’ve (LIV Golf) gone through over the past 16 months, both as a league and what I’ve copped personally… the hatred… this makes it all worthwhile.”

.@JonRahmOfficial birdies The Watering Hole 🔥
Thats 4 birdies in his last 5 holes and gets it to 10-under 👀#LIVGolf @LegionXIIIgc pic.twitter.com/AcnDGv3zPI
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 27, 2024

The Grange Golf Club's par-3 12th hole - known as 'The Watering Hole' - once again played host to some wild scenes.

The hole plays similar to that of the famed par-3 16th on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, with beer-fuelled fans cheering and booing dependent on how shots play out.

Unfortunately Lucas Herbert's caddie got struck by a water bottle on day two.

Herbert said:

"He could have been a lot more upset with it, but he took it really well. It's probably difficult to request someone who has had 15 beers to aim a water bottle away from someone. That's maybe asking too much."

As for the tournament itself, three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele captured his maiden LIV Golf title.

Steele closed with a 68 to see out a narrow one-shot victory over South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen on 18-under par.

"This is amazing, it's just been fantastic," Steele said on the 18th green.

.@Brendan_Steele IS YOUR CHAMPION DOWN UNDER 🏆
His first individual win on the LIV Golf League 👏#LIVGolf @HyFlyers_GC pic.twitter.com/XxQQmfRA4X
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 28, 2024

"I knew there was going to be hard moments today, regardless of the result, and I just needed to get back in there and start playing with freedom again."

Tournament favourite and $600m signing Jon Rahm once again failed to land his first win on LIV Golf.

The former World No.1 did, however, close with a flawless 64 to finish two shots back in T3.

That marked the Spaniard's joint-best result in six starts on LIV Golf.

Former Open champion Oosthuizen was left further frustrated when his Stinger GC lost out in the first-ever team playoff to Ripper GC led by its captain and 150th Open champion Cameron Smith.

Ripper GC and Stinger GC finished the week on 53-under par.

Both teams selected two players to compete in the playoff.

Oosthuizen was joined by Dean Burmester, and Smith was joined by Marc Leishman.

Burmester and Oosthuizen had golden chances to wrap things up on the first extra hole but they missed their seven-foot birdie attempts.

Smith and Leishman then sealed the deal on the second extra hole when the South African duo both found sand.

Ever heard an entire crowd cheer for someone leaving it in a bunker before? Now you have! pic.twitter.com/PJEjmDVWpd
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) April 28, 2024

Burmester failed to get his ball out of the greenside bunker and it was met with huge cheers from the home fans.

The win marked a first for Ripper GC in 2024.

Nothing like winning on home soil @rippergc_ 🇦🇺🏆#LIVGolf @AspreyLondon pic.twitter.com/6V5QeDspqy
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 28, 2024

Smith described the team win as 'unreal' and a 'dream come true for us'.

He added: "We've been talking about it all year."

During the playoff, Burmester reportedly told fans to 'STFU' before he played a shot.

Unsurprisingly it looks like LIV’s best event was again in Adelaide (albeit a caddie did get a full water bottle thrown at his head and Burmester had to tell someone to STFU). Let’s not pretend that big crowds equal growing the game though. You need people to love golf for that.
— Ben Coley (@BenColeyGolf) April 28, 2024

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