Tag: crowds

LIV Golf Tulsa first round draws one of largest crowds in league’s short history: ‘Just shows we’re doing something right’

“I think this is probably the best one we’ve had in America, to be quite honest.”

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — There’s no questioning LIV Golf had its most successful event fan wise three weeks ago in Adelaide, Australia.

However, there may be a new top event in the United States.

Fans came out in droves for the first round of LIV Golf Tulsa. They braved rainy conditions at some times, as well. Golf fans in Oklahoma are one of the reasons LIV Golf decided to come to the state, and they turned out Friday to Cedar Ridge Country Club.

“I think this is probably the best one we’ve had in America, to be quite honest,” first-round leader Branden Grace said of the crowds. “In Australia it was fantastic. Singapore was really good, as well. We came out there with a warm welcome, and you come to Tulsa, the guys are really loving it out here. They’re sport hungry, or event hungry, if I can put it that way.

“I’ve heard for the first time in America where — the U.S. where you see where the guys are going to go this week; are they going to support the PGA Tour or come out to LIV, and I heard a hell of a lot more people saying they’re coming out to the LIV and seeing what it’s all about. Just shows we’re doing something right.”

LIV Golf Tulsa: Photos | Merchandise

There’s no official attendance, but LIV officials estimated at least 10,000 fans were going to be at the tournament each day. The number was that and possibly more during the first round.

Now, compared to the 2022 PGA Championship, which was held about 10 miles away at Southern Hills Country Club, the LIV Golf Tulsa crowd is minuscule, and it’s not quite fair to correlate the 14th event in the league’s history to a major championship. It does, however, compare more to the Senior PGA Championship that was held at Southern Hills in 2021.

It’s a sign of growth and interest, even with all of the commotion and controversy surrounding the league.

“The crowds were amazing, and the energy was great,” Brendan Steele said. “So exciting that everybody showed up and is having a great time out here because we think we have a great thing going, and I love to see people in new places come out and check it out.”

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Playing only 3 ½ hours north of the PGA Tour event in McKinney, Texas, this is the closest the two tours have competed near each other since LIV began play last June. But the location, being in a golf-crazed state like Oklahoma, is pivotal for LIV having one of its largest crowds yet.

Every player who talked with media after the round spoke about the crowds, including former Oklahoma State star Talor Gooch, who has won the past two LIV events.

“For the American events so far, Miami last year might have been the only one that felt like it was bigger than today from a crowd perspective,” Gooch said. “I was happy that Oklahoma turned out today.”

Added Dustin Johnson: “I think the crowds were great today. A lot of fans out there. There was a lot of support.”

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What would you change about golf? We asked U.S. Open fans at The Country Club

What would you like to change about golf?

Golf is arguably one of the most toxic relationships of all time. You love it one hour and hate it the next. Small mistakes can send you over the edge, and small wins have you bragging to your friends.

Golf can put a damper on your bank account, but is worth it when you stripe that shiny new 4-iron for the first time on the course… and then hit a high cut into the houses out of bounds.

We asked some fans at the 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts what they would change about golf. Take a look at what they had to say.

How do PGA Tour players feel about another ‘loud’ stadium hole (this one in Houston)? Mostly unfazed.

Welcome to golf after the pandemic break, where fans are eager to make up for lost time.

HOUSTON — With the sun setting behind him, Roger Sloan lined up a birdie putt on the 15th green during Thursday’s opening round of the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open, hoping to get one back after dropping a shot on the previous hole.

Sloan wasn’t born in Texas, but as the trite saying goes, “he got here as fast as he could.” The Canadian product has called Houston home for more than a decade, and although he’s certainly not a major local celebrity, you’d expect fans on hand at this week’s PGA Tour stop to be rooting for him.

That didn’t slow the buzz from the neighboring grandstands, however, even though Sloan probably could have used complete silence as he lined up the 37-footer. It was a putt that could have helped the former UTEP star as he looked to make just his third cut in a half-dozen starts this season.

But as he crouched to the ball, lubed up patrons continued conversations and laughter at a considerable volume. Sloan missed and made par. He went on to miss the cut in what was essentially a home game.

Welcome to golf after the pandemic break, where fans are eager to make up for lost time and PGA Tour venues are more than happy to oblige with stadium-style surroundings, especially on tight par 3s. While the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale was once an anomaly, courses recently added to the Tour schedule are working mightily to create similar experiences.

The gallery on the 15th green is seen during the third round of the Houston Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

For example, the 17th hole at TPC Craig Ranch — the new venue for the AT&T Byron Nelson outside Dallas — built an enclosure that allows patrons to drink, eat, play blackjack and watch Tour action, all in one spot.

And while Memorial Park, which housed the Houston Open from 1947 to 1963, had just a trickle of fans last year, a new setup on No. 15 follows in the suit of loud, stadium-style surroundings.

Doak, who redesigned the course with PGA Tour consultant Brooks Koepka, loved this par-3 so much that he believes it could make the difference in determining the outcome of one of the tournaments.

“Yeah, 15 is a really dangerous hole. That’s one of the ones. Brooks said when we started we’d be heroes if we just make par 3s short and not make them all 210 yards, because that’s what they usually do for Tour courses these days,” Doak said at last year’s course debut. “Especially that one, it’s the shortest one and it’s the nastiest one.”

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Crowds were not massive on Thursday or Friday, but they were substantial on both days and will likely become louder this weekend.

And while you’d think Tour players might bristle over the loud buzz created in these stadium-style holes, they don’t let on that the boisterous patrons are a distraction.

“It’s good. I think I hit a pitching wedge in there (Thursday) to a back pin, so
it’s not the hardest hole in the world if you hit a good shot, but obviously, it punishes bad shots. I think what this whole golf course does is it rewards good shots and punishes bad shots,” Marc Leishman said. “It’s great having the fans out here. We had a lot of last year where there wasn’t fans and I definitely missed having that atmosphere. I enjoy playing under those conditions, so I hope the crowds are big and loud and we can make some
birdies for them.”

The 15th hole at Houston’s Memorial Park includes an elevated green with enclosed stadium-style seating. (Tim Schmitt/Golfweek)

Russell Henley called the hole “cool,” but admitted it’s a scary proposition for those who miss ever so slightly — something a slight distraction might assist with.

“I think you’ve got to be careful with that hole. If it gets into the wind and you play the back tee, I feel like it can be borderline questionable of, you know, fair in my opinion, depending on where you put the pin location,” Henley said. “I just think that’s just a tough hole. You know, it is a short par 3. Like I birdied it (Thursday), but you can be not very far off and be looking, trying to make a 4. It’s a tough hole.”

Undoubtedly, the strategy of creating a party-like atmosphere helps to draw in fans, even if it may detract from the product on the course. The more, the merrier, some have insisted, in the emerging era of raucous galleries.

“I think those last four holes are all kind of unique challenges. You have a short par 3, sometimes 16 is reachable with water, 17’s kind of a birdie hole and 18’s a tough one,” Jason Dufner said. “So I think what they’ve done with those last four holes trying to bring as many fans as they can into that area of the golf course, I think will be really nice on the weekend.

“I think they’ll have big crowds. A lot of things can happen on 15. You can see guys make a double or a triple.”

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Roars are back: Golfers and patrons break sound of November silence at Masters

A limited number of patrons brought back the roars this week at Augusta National.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Annie Spieth pumped both arms into the Georgia air, as the beaded string attached to the end of her mask flew upward. On the left corner, two words appeared from the dangling chain: GOOD VIBES.

“Let’s go!” Annie exclaimed as her husband chipped in for birdie on No. 10. “Oh my gosh!”

Just like that, the weekend roars had returned to Augusta National.

It began with Jordan Spieth at 10, and then quickly transferred three groups ahead where Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama obliterated Augusta’s second nine.

The twosome combined to shoot 9-under par on the final nine holes, including a pair of eagles at No. 15.

“That’s an eagle roar,” said Mike Williford, a patron from Atlanta who listened from the 13th fairway. “It’s starting to feel like Augusta again.”

Masters: Leaderboard | Photos | TV info | Sunday tee times

Moments later, a second roar rose from the 15th green, sending echoes from the Sarazen Bridge to Amen Corner.

“God I’ve missed this,” Williford said. “There’s nothing like this place.”

As the roars bounced between the loblollies, so did the groans – especially at No. 13. Justin Thomas laid up with his second shot before his third disappeared into Rae’s Creek, sending a gasp through the gallery.

“No, no, no,” said Williford, as Thomas’ ball was swept away by the creek’s current. “You can’t leave it short. Anywhere but short.”

Thomas compounded the miscue by three-putting the 13th green, as a second groan engulfed the gallery.

“Hear that?” Williford asked rhetorically. “That’s the one you’re afraid of. That’s the one at Augusta that few players can recover from.”

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When will fans return to the LPGA? Not anytime soon.

A number of PGA Tour events have welcomed a limited number of fans for several months, but it will be some time before the LPGA follows.

Michelle Wie West returns to the LPGA this week for the first time in nearly two years, but it will be a quiet affair. There will be no spectators at the 2021 Kia Classic in Carlsbad, California, due to strict local guidelines. Players aren’t even allowed to bring one guest onsite.

Likewise, there will be no fans at the ANA Inspiration, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Players are allowed one guest for the year’s first major, and dining out at restaurants is still prohibited.

While a number of PGA Tour events have welcomed a limited number of fans for several months now, it will likely be some time before the LPGA brings fans back to any U.S.-based events, especially with three of the next four events on the LPGA schedule to be played in California and one in Hawaii.

The tour hopes to have a limited number of spectators at the Pure Silk Championship at Kingsmill in late May but, as a tour official noted, it will be with guidance from the local health authorities.

The LPGA is moving forward with plans to compete in Singapore and Thailand in late April and early May under strict health and safety guidelines for players. The LPGA created a similar bubble last August when the tour spent two weeks in Scotland.

After Kingsmill, the LPGA returns to the West Coast for the new match-play event in Las Vegas followed by the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club. A decision has not yet been made on fans at the USWO but on Tuesday, San Francisco moved into the less-restrictive orange tier.

“It is important to have fans attend the U.S. Women’s Open,” said USWO championship director Matt Sawicki in a statement provided to Golfweek, “but health and safety protocols for all attendees remains our first priority. We are working closely with the City and County of San Francisco as well as the State of California to create the best environment possible.

Earlier this week, R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers released an open letter to fans about this year’s AIG Women’s British Open at Carnoustie. Last year’s AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon was the only major sporting event held in Scotland over the summer. While the event at Royal Troon was a rousing success, it did not include fans.

“We are greatly encouraged that we will be able to welcome fans at the AIG Women’s Open,” Slumbers wrote, “and I would like to assure you that we are working with the Scottish and UK governments, our health and safety advisers, agencies and our partners at AIG to progress our plans to ensure that everyone can enjoy the action at Carnoustie safely.”

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Just a Matter of Time Until Notre Dame/Navy in Ireland is Called Off

It appears to be just a matter of time until Notre Dame and Navy’s season-opener in Dublin gets officially called off

It was supposed to be a season opener like very few before it.  Notre Dame and Navy were (and technically still are) scheduled to start the 2020 college football season in Dublin, Ireland with ESPN’s College Gameday on location.  The game technically still could happen we suppose but news it out Tuesday says that at best, fans likely won’t be included.  At least not very many of them.

Per Irish Times:

Ireland is set to announce the banning of all events with 5000 or more people with authorities being told not to grant licenses for large events in this period due to the coronavirus crisis.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure the rest of this out.

Notre Dame and Navy aren’t going to be flying across the pond to play a football game in front of fewer than 5000 fans, especially with the fears of flying and doing unnecessary travel right now.  You can go to a local high school and play in front of a crowd that size, why in the world would you fly teams and staffs to Ireland to play a game that pretty much nobody is allowed to attend as fans?

There may not have been a statement made by the Naval Academy yet, it is their home game after all, or Notre Dame’s but that’s just the period at the end of the sentence at this point.  With this news out today it tells us what we all expected but hoped against for a while, that is that there will be no season opener in Ireland this year.

Now we hope for the best case scenario, however unlikely, to be that the game can be played on the same date in the United States.  Brian Kelly and Jack Swarbrick have been open about alternate plans already being discussed about that, now will come the next steps which will include the official cancellation of the Ireland game which could come in days, if not hours.  Also to come is the decided location of the game and date, which could already be known but is being withheld in event it’s never necessary to actually announce.

Let’s hope against that and instead the game gets moved to the mainland and is actually played the last weekend in August.  I think we’d all be thrilled at this point if football at all is played the last week of August whether it be in Indianapolis, Washington D.C., Orlando or at a high school field.