Four years into its existence, LIV Golf is continuing to evolve, with various changes introduced in 2026, including increased purses and new TV deals.
All the while, its progress in establishing itself among the big players of the men’s elite game is taking time, but one tournament that took off from its very first day is LIV Golf Adelaide.
The first year of LIV Golf didn’t visit Australia, but that was rectified in April 2023 when the first edition of its Adelaide event took place at the Grange Golf Club.
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To say it was a success is an understatement, with an official attendance of 77,076 over its three days of action, demonstrating that LIV Golf had clearly tapped into a market generally starved of top-level golf in recent years.
It wasn’t just the crowds that made it special occasion, with an incident-packed tournament including an ace from Chase Koepka at its party hole, the par-3 12th, a pair of back-to-back 62s from winner Talor Gooch, players doing “shoeys” and an epic driving range session from Bryson DeChambeau.
Talor Gooch won the first edition of the tournament
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The accolades came thick and fast, with players showering it with praise, while it was later named the World’s Best Golf Event of the Year 2023 at the World Golf Awards.
LIV Golf Adelaide was here to stay, and it got even bigger in 2024, at least where the attendance is concerned. On that occasion, the event drew over 94,000 fans, who roared home favorites Ripper GC to the team title.
Once again, it was named the World’s Best Golf Event of the Year, so how could it be topped in 2025? With an even bigger attendance, of course.
On that occasion, it moved to February, and fans responded in their droves, with an attendance over the three days of a mammoth 102,483.
Perhaps inevitably, it again scooped the World’s Best Golf Event of the Year award as it cemented its position as the biggest event on the circuit, at least where attendances are concerned.
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That’s been reflected in LIV Golf’s commitment to staging the event, with an announcement at the 2025 edition that a deal had been struck to keep it in Adelaide until 2031.
LIV Golf Adelaide is staying until 2031
(Image credit: Getty Images)
So, what kind of attendance can we expect in 2026?
One key thing to note about the fourth edition is that, like the other events in 2026, it takes place over four days rather than three, with 72 holes of strokeplay.
That alone suggests that, assuming it’s another sell-out, an overall attendance of around 140,000 could be in the offing.