The world of golf is witnessing an unexpected struggle as LIV Golf, once hailed as a revolutionary force in the sport, is now grappling with dwindling viewership and an uncertain future. Despite its grand entrance onto the scene, complete with a star-studded roster and hefty financial backing, the venture has not lived up to the hype. The once anticipated merger with the PGA Tour now seems to be hanging by a thread, casting further doubts on LIV Golf’s potential for success.
LIV Golf’s recent tournament in Hong Kong, which took place from March 6-9, 2025, brought the issue of poor viewership figures back into the limelight. The tournament, which saw Sergio Garcia and his Fireballs GC team secure victory, could only attract a paltry 17,000 viewers for the final round. This is a stark contrast to the nearly 2.9 million viewers that the PGA Tour’s WM Phoenix Open managed to pull in.
Fans have not held back their criticism, with comments ranging from labelling the venture as a “waste of billions of dollars” to highlighting the persistent scheduling problems. While the challenges of broadcasting an Asian event to a U.S. audience have been acknowledged, this alone does not account for the consistently underwhelming numbers. Even when given prime slots, LIV Golf’s viewership has remained alarmingly low. Its debut on Fox Sports earlier this year managed to attract just 54,000 viewers on FS1 and 31,000 on FS2. The opening night saw a shockingly low average of 12,000 viewers, a significant drop despite the switch from the CW to a more prominent network.
Speculation is high that the upcoming Miami event might bring about a change in LIV Golf’s fortunes. However, historical data does not seem to support this optimism. The previous year’s LIV Individual Championship in Chicago could only muster an average viewership of 89,000, a far cry from its debut in Mexico which had managed to attract 286,000 viewers.
Adding to the alarm bells, LIV Golf has ceased to publicly disclose its TV ratings. This has led to increased speculation about the platform’s viability and sustainability. While LIV Golf has the financial backing, star power, and a unique format, it is currently lagging behind cable channels like Disney Junior and Great American Family in terms of viewership. Without a robust viewership, the platform’s ambition of being a serious contender in the world of golf seems to be a distant dream.
Adding to the woes, the much-touted merger with the PGA Tour is also facing hurdles. The first high-level meeting, which took place on February 20, 2025, at the White House, did not yield any concrete details. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan termed it as “constructive”, but the absence of any real details left fans in limbo. Subsequent reports suggested that the meeting did not go as planned, and there were insinuations of deeper issues from Rory McIlroy, hinting that LIV Golf might not be as keen on the merger as previously thought.
Despite the gloom, LIV Golf Hong Kong did manage to deliver an exciting tournament, with Sergio Garcia and his Fireballs GC clinching both the individual and team titles. Garcia gave a stellar performance, shooting a bogey-free 7-under 63, finishing three shots clear of Dean Burmester. His teammate, Luis Masaveu, lauded Garcia as “a machine”.
While the game on the green was thrilling, the reality off it paints a different picture. With its viewership plummeting and the merger talks stalling, LIV Golf finds itself in a precarious situation. The upcoming tournament in Miami could very well be a defining moment for the platform’s future. The question remains – can LIV Golf bounce back from this setback and regain its footing in the golf world? Only time will tell.
