Even the most ardent LIV Golf sceptic would have to admit the UK leg of the tour at the JCB Golf and Country Club has been a rousing success, and one player has very clearly captured the attention of British golf fans on his latest visit.
The division among the golfing world between PGA Tour traditionalists and the new wave of LIV Golf fans has been a major talking point for years now.
What started as a controversial movement with a few players making a rebellious breakaway has quickly become a genuinely fascinating alternative to the old-school approach from the PGA. Having big names like Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau obviously helps.
Gaining access to see these kinds of players in action isn’t always easy, but fans flocked to the JCB this weekend to watch an array of former world number ones and major winners strut their stuff.
I was one of those fans, and I was blown away not only by the event itself, but by how intense the following was around one player in particular.
Bryson DeChambeau is the star attraction on the LIV tour
When you watch the LIV Golf tour on TV, it’s hard to precisely gauge the levels of support for each player. However, being there in person, it was immediately apparent that the majority of those in attendance were there to see one man: Bryson DeChambeau.
Before play even began on the Friday, fans showed their support for DeChambeau and his Crushers team with his merchandise far outweighing the other teams’ colours.
Then, as players began to filter around the venue for their warm-up routines, it became even more obvious. Dense crowds swarmed DeChambeau’s reserved spot on the range, and when he pulled out the putter on the practice green, fans waited patiently to meet their idol.
Two young children in front of me practically lost their minds when DeChambeau told them he would “be over in a minute” to sign their hats.
His popularity was clearly no surprise to the event organisers, though. It was not a coincidence that DeChambeau was grouped with Tyrrell Hatton and Dustin Johnson and given the first tee for the shotgun start on the Friday.
From there, anyone hoping to muscle in and catch a sight of DeChambeau’s monster drive would have to plan accordingly and race to each tee box. After taking a look at the likes of Koepka, Bubba Watson, and Phil Mickelson, we decided to join the Bryson hype train around the halfway mark.
Navigating the course effectively, we managed to bag a prime viewing spot for the 13th tee. From the moment we first saw that daunting 627-yard hole during our exploratory wander around the venue, we knew that was the place to be when DeChambeau landed.
He didn’t disappoint, either, launching a thunderous and aggressive drive through the fairway. One thing’s for sure, that ear-splitting shot was the loudest of the day by quite some distance.
From there, we followed DeChambeau onto the party tee at 14th through to the final hole, with a packed crowd on the 18th to see the main man wrap up his opening round. With men, women, and children ranging from as young as four years old through to retirement age all chanting for the Crushers captain, it’s hard not to describe DeChambeau’s popularity as something akin to a cult-like following.
Honestly, players like Jon Rahm and event leader Joaquin Niemann might as well not have existed this weekend. Brooks Koepka, in particular, was well and truly a peripheral figure as he put together an inconsistent and frustrating first round alongside Lucas Herbert and Sebastian Munoz — not exactly the most high-profile grouping for LIV’s former star attraction.
LIV Golf by JCB is a mind-blowing event
While DeChambeau may have dominated the buzz around the JCB, I have to commend the event as a whole. Not only was I able to see some of the greatest golfers in the world, but the laid-back, non-restrictive approach to the event allows you to be within touching distance of them all, too.
Bubba Watson praised the UK fans for their support and the atmosphere this weekend, and he’s right to do so. Sure, the fact that music is blaring as golfers tee off or try to sink all-important putts takes some getting used to, but it really does set the tone for the event and raise the spirits of the crowd.
The course itself was a dream, too. It’s hard to pick a favourite hole, really, but highlights are the gargantuan, water hazard-laden 13th I mentioned previously, a stunning par 3 on the 17th which sees golfers play downhill onto an island, and the 9th hole which features The Majesticks Arms, a brilliant little pub sitting alongside the green.
I’ve always been wary of the LIV Golf venture and it does upset me to see the sport divided as it is now. But, you have to commend the fact that this event has gone all out to make golf as accessible as possible to fans, while offering something fresh and innovative. It’s hard to stay mad when it’s this much fun!
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