Even LIV Golf’s biggest critic can see that there is some real potential in the format, with some fans clearly no longer captivated by the traditional 72-hole tournament served up most of the time on the PGA Tour.
There are plenty of genuine reasons to criticise LIV Golf, and worry about the prospect of PIF having a seat at the golfing table in the future. But there are undoubtedly times when LIV serve up some exciting finishes, with the players battling over both individual and team titles at each event.
While money has clearly been a driving factor in the decision to jump ship from the PGA Tour for a number of players, you can imagine that there is an element of truth when some insist that they are big fans of the format.
However, this time of year arguably highlights where some of the big problems with LIV still lie.
LIV Golf still a long way away from realising its potential
It has been suggested that LIV have a ‘huge’ issue, as they remain loyal to those who decided to make the jump from the PGA Tour.
Theoretically, every player outside the top 24 has a question mark over their future at the end of each season. And yet, heading into 2025, there are just six spots left to fill.
There have been rumours. There were claims that Tony Finau had agreed to join LIV. However, the only new player so far signed by a team is youngster Yubin Jang, who has never played on the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, it would be a shock if RangeGoats GC did not hold onto Bubba Watson as their captain, despite the two-time Masters champion finishing in the relegation zone in 2024.
Of course, the last few years have shown to expect the unexpected. And LIV will hope to still make a marquee signing or two before the opening event in Riyadh in February.
However, the potentially stale 2025 lineup is not the only issue when it comes to LIV capitalising on its potential. Many will have seen that Lee Chieh-po was the winner of the LIV Golf Promotions event this week, meaning that the 30-year-old has earned a spot in the league for 2025 – a decision that none of the teams will have had a say in.
The teams with spaces to fill may well be queuing up to sign him. But that is not the point. Ultimately, if Jon Rahm already had his eye on him for Legion XIII, surely he could have been signed by now. He is a LIV Golf signing who could then end up being on a team.
Why the stakes on LIV need to be so much higher
While it is imperative that LIV build their own superstars if they are actually going to grow, it is also absolutely imperative that they really try to stoke rivalries between teams. It was jarring just how harmonious the captains seemed to be at the press conference ahead of the Team Championship in Dallas.
They obviously care about their teams, but it was almost as if the LIV Golf team was even more important. It is understandable that they are protective of LIV after seeing it come in for so much criticism, but people will care more if there is genuine bad blood between the 4Aces and the Crushers, for example.
And people will arguably care a lot more if it is teams being relegated rather than individual players. If a team with a star player is relegated, then there will be genuine excitement to see where they end up next.
Meanwhile, there is so much more on the line if a team has to spend a year out of the league and earn a promotion the following year, perhaps up against a number of other groups which have formed at the end of the season in the hope of stepping up. Perhaps there may be scope in the future for two divisions of teams.
There does not appear to be anywhere near enough jeopardy within the league as things stand. And if LIV Golf really wants to make fans care about a team like they care about Premier League sides, then they need to hand more power to the teams, and there has to be a feeling that players are genuinely fighting for their futures at the top table.
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