LIV Series – Caddies Hold the Key, Rumours of LPGA Expansion

As the dust settles on the second event in the LIV Series, it is fair to say that Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon provided more entertainment than the Hertfordshire event a month earlier.

The LIV social media accounts are waking up, they have more followers and better content. The field is more respectable with the addition of younger players, as well as the older professionals with fistfuls of Tour wins under their belts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Remaining impartial on the rival series is a difficult task, and in fairness to the LIV events, they do seem to be improving the fan experience and making it more of a spectacle. Talor Gooch comparing the crowd to that of a Ryder Cup was universally mocked online, but kudos to him for trying. I got the impression the 4 Aces team had a wager on which one would dare say that on live TV.

One of the major developments made by the LIV camp as of late has not been focused on the players, but rather, their caddies. This is a niche point that many may consider in hindsight – but looking after caddies is a masterful stroke in ensuring an improved reputation for the LIV Series, reduced backlash on the source of the funding, and generally improved attitudes towards the whole idea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Stories from Billy Foster and Steve Williams early in their careers are almost comical, having to sleep on mattresses in shared hotel rooms in Indonesia or Jakarta, where there were more cockroaches than cooked dinners. Fast forward two decades and they made a fantastic living.

However, if you were a young golf pro fresh out of college, odds are your friend is carrying the clubs. I remember Matthew Wolff had his college team mate on the bag for the final round of the US Open at Winged Foot in 2020. Firstly, the paydays for these caddies on the LIV Tour are phenomenal. Brendan Grace secured $4,000,000 for his individual win on Saturday after a closing 65. His caddy can expect almost half a million dollars for his three days work, seriously life-changing money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bob Harig reported that the living expenses of the caddies are now covered by LIV, including a shuttle to the course, meals, and the like. It is unclear how sustainable this business model is for the LIV Series, but the seemingly endless deep pockets of the Saudi regime should cover expenses at least for the next couple of years. Perhaps caddy care has been an area of neglect in the PGA Tour history.

If the rumors about LPGA: expanding LIV to the women’s game have any value, LIV is here to stay. The word-of-mouth that is undoubtedly spreading throughout the caddie network means there is more incentive than ever for all professionals and their caddies and coaching teams to make the jump, especially if the money the male professionals receive is going to be matched for the women’s game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Remember, the source of the money can be forgotten if good things are done with it. Let’s say Brooks Koepka creates a state-of-the-art facility in his hometown, or Abe Ancer creates a scholarship fund at Oklahoma State, enabling people from all backgrounds to access the top levels of college golf. The source of the money will no longer matter, and any questions loaded with the notion of ‘selfishness’ or ‘greed’ are rendered mute.

The main takeaway from this week is that the LIV spectacle will continue to grow, and it seems as if the participants enjoy themselves. The caddy angle is the one to pursue for the LIV Tour, if caddies are seeing a drastic improvement in their quality of life and the player is almost indifferent between the two tours, the decision will be made automatically for the player and his team. Factor in the approach to media rights and content, where Bryson DeChambeau is able to bring his media team out on the course with him, and you have several tangible improvements in the LIV Series over the PGA Tour, especially for the modern golfer.

Cover Image Via Golf.com