The world of YouTube golf could be about to go to new heights with news that Rick Shiels has signed a deal with LIV Golf to be their chief content creator.
Golf fans were left shocked as Shiels announced his deal with LIV and the popular YouTube star will now have access to some of the best players in the world and the best courses.
His content will be split between the LIV channels and his own but it very much feels like this could be the start of seeing the major tours really work closely with the YouTube scene.
However, as some of the fan reactions suggest, not everyone is overly happy at Shiels joining LIV, given his past views on the tour.
Of course, one man who knows Shiels well is long-time content creator partner and friend, Peter Finch.
And while Finch sarcastically reacted to the Shiels news yesterday, it’s worth noting Finch’s previous comments on LIV which could pave the way for some awkward discussions with Shiels.
Peter Finch’s previous comments on LIV Golf as Rick Shiels announces major move
As we all know, LIV Golf has been the disruptor in golf for some time now and with that, it’s been the subject of plenty of opinion.
Peter Finch is always level headed and calm in his opinions, but even he has had a rant in the past about LIV, specifically about how it’s all been so money focussed.
“That is the problem. This is what golf has descended into. He is being given £50 million. And we’re all shrugging our shoulders going, ‘is that appropriate? It’s not that much, is he worth that?’ It’s £50 million! To a golfer to join a tour that nobody’s watching, and everybody’s acting like this is normal,” Finch said about LIV when they signed Tyrrell Hatton.
Finch has also spoken out on the impact on the DP World Tour as well, if a potential merger with the PGA and LIV goes ahead.
“The biggest losers in this from the outset looks like it will be the DP World Tour,” Finch said.
“If you are public investment fund, sticking cash into the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour is a US based entity. One of the good things about LIV, and I think this is universally accepted, is that at least they were going out to Australia, coming to the UK.”
“They were going to places where Greg Norman because he wants the world golf tour, the PGA Tour doesn’t go. You saw in Australia how the fans really turn out and engage with it; you saw it at JCB. Big crowds and engagement and enjoying the golf.”
Finch, then, is likely to be happy for his friend in getting such a big deal done but ultimately, LIV keeps on splitting opinion and only Shiels can answer those questions when they inevitably come.
How the golf world reacted to Rick Shiels’ move to LIV
As expected, especially from the LIV side, Shiels has been welcomed with open arms to the tour.
The likes of Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter have reacted to the news, while one of LIV’s top players, Joaquin Niemann, also responded.
“Hey Rick Shiels, we just started our YouTube channel with my team Torgue GC. Now that we are going to be friends in LIV, can I get any advice from you about YouTube? We are nice guys,” Niemann said on Instagram.
Shiels is likely to get some tremendous content from his deal with LIV but quite how this impacts the golf scene overall, remains to be seen.
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