South Australia has been assured that LIV Golf will continue next year, even as Adelaide secures a new slice of the sport by hosting the men's Australian Open. The city will alternate hosting the men's and women's Opens for six years starting in 2028, with a redeveloped North Adelaide golf course serving as the venue.
Adelaide's Golf Revival
Adelaide hosted the women's Open this year but has not staged a men's national championship in three decades. The announcement comes amid ongoing uncertainty about the future of LIV Golf and its highly successful Adelaide tournament. Saudi Arabia has withdrawn funding from the breakaway tour, but Premier Peter Malinauskas has been informed that the league will continue in Adelaide next year.
“They are telling us that,” Malinauskas told reporters on Thursday. “I'm not naive to the speculation ... but the communications they have had with us is that they are utterly determined to be back here early next year.”
Financial Uncertainty
Malinauskas cautioned that it is a “time will tell” scenario as LIV Golf scrambles to find other financial backers. “It has been a very good deal for us,” he said. “And if anything, the speculation around LIV's financial losses in other parts of the world, I think, serve to demonstrate that we've actually done pretty well out of it.”
He added: “Now, if we didn't get the crowds that we had, it would be a different story. If it has worked anywhere, it's been in Australia, and so we would love to see it continue. Time will tell how that plays out.”
Government's Insured Position
The state government will not lose money should LIV fold, the premier said. “The contract that we've got with LIV insures our position about what happens,” Malinauskas explained. “We don't pay anything if they don't play and put on a great show. So time will tell how it plays out but they are nothing but positive about their determination to be here and we'll wait and see.”
Venue Changes and Future Plans
LIV Golf's Adelaide tournament is scheduled to move from the Grange Golf Club to Kooyonga next year. The event will then shift again to the North Adelaide course being redesigned by Greg Norman. The course in the city centre will stage the men's Australian Open in 2028 to commence Adelaide's six-year stretch as a host city.
Victoria remains likely to share the men's tournament. “We've got a long-term partnership with the Victorian government,” said Golf Australia chief James Sutherland. “At the moment, we're working through with them as to the succession. The 2028 Open will be here in Adelaide, we can confirm that here and now, because 2028 is a Presidents Cup year which Victoria will be hosting. But beyond that, the exact sequencing and years are things to be confirmed and obviously Victoria is a very important partner in those conversations.”
