Last week Jon Rahm joined 53 other elite golfers vying for the LIV Golf championship in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Along with thousands of other fans, I arrived with no idea what to expect from the upstart pro golf tour. Rahm left with a 14k diamond-encrusted gold ring and the LIV championship. I left without a ring but with an appreciation for the young tour.
(Photo by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf)
Announced as the Premier Golf League in 2019, it was renamed LIV Golf prior to the inaugural 2022 season. The “LIV” name derived from the Roman numeral for 54, the number of holes played at LIV events. Dustin Johnson took the first season title, with Talor Gooch winning last year.
Opened in 2002, Bolingbrook Golf Club is located about an hour southwest of Chicago. It is one of only two Illinois courses designed by Arthur Hills. It was named one of the “Top Ten You Can Play” by Golf Magazine. It houses two restaurants, a pro shop, and banquet and meeting facilities.
From the moment I stepped onto the property, I knew LIV Golf was something different. Instead of the calm and quiet of all other golf events, I heard music blaring from every angle, including throughout the course.
The first day, I meandered the grounds. Everything was pristine, including the putting greens, kids zone and all other non-tournament areas. I saw the professionals practicing, casually hitting amazing shots with minimal effort. Once tournament play started, things got serious, but the party atmosphere remained.
At the end, Rahm stood tall, championship in hand, ring on his finger. Along with the season championship, it was his second tournament win. His team also looks good heading into this week’s Dallas Team Championship.
As a casual fan of golf, I found LIV Golf to be a fascinating event. Billed as “Golf but louder,” it destroys the idea that golf must be a calm, silent sport. The concert atmosphere is attracting a younger crowd. In the end, though, it still comes down to the play. At LIV Golf, it is still elite players and competition.
— John Wroblewski, online writer
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