Day two of the golf revolution and the titles kept coming. Bryson DeChambo, the biggest striker in the sport, has been confirmed as the newest star with LIV golf.
This was not a shock. De Chambo was expected to join the Saudi-funded race earlier in the week, but it was confirmed by the usual buzz. LIV leader Greg Norman hailed De Chambo as an athlete who “pushes the boundaries” of his sport.
“Bryson DeChambeau is an exciting addition to LIV Golf’s superb style of play,” said Norman. “He is passionate about sports, innovative in his approach and committed to pushing boundaries in his quest for excellence. He is not afraid to think outside the box and supports our mission to do things differently to develop our game. ”
DeChambeau is expected to join the eight-event tour in its second stage, Portland Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge later this month. Inner commentator Jerry Foltz was appropriately excited and asked the question he hoped everyone would ask, “If he’s not a Smash captain, then what are we doing?”
Smash is the name of one of 12 teams competing for a $ 3 million collective prize in addition to the minimum $ 125,000 individual prize money in addition to the multimillion entry fees. The innovation of playing in both teams and individually is a clear way in which LIV is trying, according to Norman, to charge the sport. But on a beautiful summer afternoon at the Centurion Club near Hemel Hempstead, it wasn’t always so easy to identify how it had transformed.
“It’s still just golf, isn’t it,” said Connor McGigan, one of the younger group of fans present on Friday. He had received a free ticket from a promotional code in a podcast and was having fun. But the experience more than the sport seemed new to him. “Teams don’t matter,” he said, “and golf has the feel of a kick. Many people are here to have fun and not actually watch golf. I feel a little like Stote, to be honest, and there’s no way I paid for a ticket. “
Second-round athlete Charles Schwarzell plays in front of a small gallery at the Centurion Club. Photo: Stephen Paston / PA
Other people on the track were less scathing, but the topics about the quality of the race were the same. The rankings at the beginning of the second day of this three-day event were topped by players such as world number 133, Hennie du Plessis and Charl Schwartzel, 126. Home stars Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were far behind in the package, as were Phil Mickelson and Graham McDowell. The battle at the top may not have been completely overwhelming, but the race between the Smash team and their opponents was simply confusing.
Leaving golf aside, the fans of the course had nothing but praise. The large fan area with its big screen, bigger bar and loaded fries (£ 11 per serving) was a big hit, as was the placement competition, which offered a prize for a full-cost trip to Miami for two. is the “iconic blue monster” of Trump National Doral Miami). Successful runners were regularly greeted with the loudest applause on the field.
The LIV would not publish data on the number of ticket holders on the course, but there was no doubt that the crowds were significantly smaller than in C major. This definitely had its advantages: more space for fans, easier access to facilities, a general feeling of well-cared for. On the other hand, only one of the people the Guardian spoke to actually paid for a ticket, and she did so only because the event was close enough to her home to save money on travel.
GOLF, BUT VERY, WELCOME TO THE FUTURE, DON’T Wink, the brand’s great messages are all over Centurion. It remains to be seen how much it is really charged beyond language, but the message is not for those who enjoy the sun in Hertfordshire anyway. At the time of writing, there were 69,000 people watching London Invitational from their homes on YouTube. They are the audience that is courting this tournament. The revolution may not yet be televised, but it is certainly being streamed.
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