Golf legend Greg Norman, who is currently the executive director of the LIV Golf League, was in New Orleans on Monday inspecting sites for a possible LIV event in the Crescent City in 2025 or 2026. Multiple sources confirm to WDSU that Louisiana’s lieutenant governor , Billy Nungesser, was with Norman on his tour, something the Lt. Governor’s office neither confirmed nor denied. Courses toured include Bayou Oaks in City Park and Lakewood Golf Club in Algiers. Sources also say WDSU representatives from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s office will be in Nashville for this week’s LIV event to examine the operation. In April, WDSU was the first to report that the LIV golf league was exploring a tournament in New Orleans the same week the NFL hosts Super Bowl LIX in the city. In February, LIV golf hosted its first event in Las Vegas to coincide with the Super Bowl. Bowl LVIII, which was played in Sin City. Las Vegas Country Club, which held the PGA Tour event from its inception in 1983 until 1991, welcomed the LIV tournament. It recently hosted an LPGA event from 2003 to 2006. Current and former NFL players and several celebrities played in the LIV pro-am (professional and amateur event before the tournament), including New Orleans Saints quarterback, Derek Carr, who makes his home during the offseason. in Las Vegas.LIV Golf is funded by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Some journalists and commentators have said the tour is part of efforts by the Saudi monarchy, which has been criticized for corruption and human rights abuses, to improve its public image through sport. Norman played regularly in New Orleans during his PGA Tour career, including a second-place finish to David Frost in 1990. Hotel rooms in the metro area for a second major sporting event could be an issue, as the NFL traditionally blocks 90% of all hotel rooms in the city for team owners, corporate executives, sponsors and major advertisers. Ahead of the event in Las Vegas, LIV posted statements from players via its website about the excitement of sharing the spotlight with the NFL’s biggest event. It will be a special event,” said Bryson DeChambeau. “I think it’s going to be fantastic,” Dustin Johnson added. “It’s Super Bowl week. “Las Vegas is going to be packed.” Said Phil Mickelson: “LIV Golf Las Vegas is an opportunity to showcase what LIV Golf can bring to the US… In the US, our demographic is much younger than the traditional golf fan. Being in Las Vegas Super Bowl week, that’s the demographic we’re trying to reach.” Last summer, the PGA Tour abandoned its fight with LIV Golf and instead announced a merger aimed at creating a global operation that includes the world’s best players. backed by the enormous wealth of the Saudis. As part of the deal merging the PGA Tour and the European Tour with Saudi Arabia’s golf interests, the parties are immediately dropping all lawsuits involving LIV Golf. But, amid government investigations and interest from private equity groups, the deal did not close, the KeynoteUSA reports. So the PGA Tour selected SSG, a consortium of American sports owners, to partner with. A month later, SSG promised an initial investment of $1.5 billion, which could increase to $3 billion. The next step is to get PIF a minority investor or risk more players defecting to LIV Golf. LIV announced its 2024 schedule in November 2023, so any official decision on a New Orleans event may not be known until the fall. The PGA Tour hosts the Zurich Classic of New Orleans each year at TPC Louisiana. New Orleans has hosted the PGA Tour annually since 1938. The 2024 Zurich Classic was the most successful of all time, drawing record crowds to see champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
NEW ORLEANS –
Golf legend Greg Norman, who is currently the executive director of the LIV Golf League, was in New Orleans on Monday surveying sites for a possible LIV event in the Crescent City in 2025 or 2026.
Multiple sources confirm to WDSU that Louisiana Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser was with Norman on his tour, something the lieutenant governor’s office neither confirmed nor denied.
Courses visited include Bayou Oaks in City Park and Lakewood Golf Club in Algiers.
Sources also say WDSU representatives from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s office will be in Nashville for this week’s LIV event to examine the operation.
In April, WDSU was the first to report that the LIV golf league was exploring a tournament in New Orleans the same week the NFL hosts Super Bowl LIX in the city.
In February, LIV golf hosted its first event in Las Vegas to coincide with Super Bowl LVIII, which was being played in Sin City.
Las Vegas Country Club, which held the PGA Tour event from its inception in 1983 until 1991, welcomed the LIV tournament. It most recently hosted an LPGA event from 2003 to 2006.
Current and former NFL players and several celebrities played in the LIV pro-am (professional and amateur event before the tournament), including New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who makes his offseason home in Las Vegas.
LIV Golf is funded by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Some journalists and commentators have said the tour is part of efforts by the Saudi monarchy, which has been criticized for corruption and human rights abuses, to improve its public image through sport.
Norman played regularly in New Orleans during his PGA Tour career, including a second-place finish to David Frost in 1990.
Hotel rooms in the metro area for a second major sporting event could be an issue, as the NFL traditionally blocks 90% of all hotel rooms in the city for team owners, corporate executives, sponsors and major advertisers.
Ahead of the event in Las Vegas, LIV posted statements from players via its website about the excitement of sharing the spotlight with the NFL’s biggest event.
“It’s going to be a special event,” Bryson DeChambeau said.
“I think it’s going to be fantastic,” Dustin Johnson added.
“It’s Super Bowl week. “Las Vegas is going to be packed.” Said Phil Mickelson: “LIV Golf Las Vegas is an opportunity to showcase what LIV Golf can bring to the US… In the US, our demographic is much younger than the traditional golf fan. Being in Las Vegas Super Bowl week, that’s the demographic we’re trying to reach.”
Last summer, the PGA Tour abandoned its fight with LIV Golf and instead announced a merger aimed at creating a global operation that includes the world’s best players backed by the enormous wealth of the Saudis.
As part of the agreement that merges the PGA Tour and the European tour with Saudi Arabia’s golf interests, the parties will immediately drop all lawsuits involving LIV Golf.
But, amid government investigations and interest from private equity groups, the deal did not close, the KeynoteUSA reports.
So the PGA Tour selected SSG, a consortium of American sports owners, to partner with. A month later, SSG promised an initial investment of $1.5 billion, which could increase to $3 billion. The next step is to get PIF a minority investor or risk more players defecting to LIV Golf.
LIV announced its 2024 schedule in November 2023, so any official decision on a New Orleans event may not be known until the fall.
The PGA Tour hosts the Zurich Classic of New Orleans each year at TPC Louisiana.
New Orleans has hosted the PGA Tour annually since 1938.
The 2024 Zurich Classic was the most successful in history, drawing record crowds to see champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
Keynote USA
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