In a major coup, South Australia has beaten rival state bids to secure a multi-year extension to host LIV Golf through 2031.
In a further coup, the South Australia government and Adelaide City Council have reached an agreement with Greg Norman Golf Course Design to upgrade the North Adelaide golf facility in the CBD with plans to make it the eventual home of LIV Golf Adelaide through 2031.
The existing agreement was a four-year arrangement through 2026.
The announcement was made in front of thousands of fans at the par 3 No. 12 Watering Hole, with Malinauskas, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, and LIV Golf Board Member and Australian golf legend Greg Norman delivering the news together before the start of the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide.
“This event is the embodiment of what LIV Golf represents: the biggest stars, the best courses, unmatched experiences, and of course, the best fans in the world,” said O’Neil. “Thank you to Premier Peter Malinauskas for his leadership and commitment to LIV Golf for the long term. LIV Golf Adelaide is our showcase and brings the vision for all our events across the globe to life. We couldn’t be more thrilled to honor what this community has helped us build over the last three years through a partnership that will take it to even greater heights for years to come.”
As part of Malinauskas’s announcement, Adelaide City Council unveiled plans to redevelop the North Adelaide Golf Course — to be designed by Norman — transforming the facility into one of the world’s best public golf courses. The project will bring future LIV Golf events to the unique and stunning downtown location within the Adelaide Park Lands and provide improved facilities and greater amenities to accommodate year-round use for the public.
In addition, the redevelopment would accommodate the continued growth of LIV Golf Adelaide, including a new 18-hole Championship Course, new driving range and practice facilities, and space for temporary tournament infrastructure while supporting tourism and maximizing interstate and international visitation.
“I’ve dreamed of building a global golf league for 30 years,” said Norman. “LIV Golf Adelaide is the realisation of what LIV Golf can be around the world. I want to thank Premier Peter Malinauskas, a friend and an incredible leader for South Australia. What LIV Golf has built has never been done before, changing the sport for the better while having a lasting impact on communities like Adelaide. I’m honored to design a world-class course that will benefit current and future generations here in Australia. Long LIV Golf!”
The tournament has contributed $136 million in its first two years to the state’s economy and bringing thousands of visitors from far and wide to the state. Named World’s Best Golf Event at the World Golf Awards two years in a row, LIV Golf Adelaide has set the benchmark for delivering world-class golf within a festival atmosphere, with first-class hospitality, family-friendly activities and headline concerts.
This year’s edition expects to top the 2024 event, which welcomed more than 94,000 fans to The Grange Golf Club and generated over 79,000 visitor nights, with guests staying an average of nearly four nights. More than 40 percent of ticket holders travelled from outside South Australia.
Said Malinauskas: “LIV Golf has brought significant global attention to South Australia – and I am delighted to confirm that we have secured the rights to host LIV Golf in Adelaide until 2031. But more than that, I’m thrilled that we will be delivering something truly unique – world golf on the doorstep of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Nestled in the stunning Adelaide Park Lands, the North Adelaide Golf Course is a stunning platform on which to showcase our city to the rest of the world. The investments we’re making will deliver a high- quality outcome for our Park Lands, improvements for members of the public who want to play at North Adelaide, and importantly, provide a new home for the growth of LIV Golf Adelaide. Seeing LIV get bigger and better means more people from around Australia and the world getting the chance to experience the wonders of our state. This is about much more than just bringing the world’s best golfers to Adelaide – it’s about telling the story of South Australia to a global audience, with images of our State’s magnificent regions beamed into the homes of over 100 countries. Significantly, it’s also about leveraging LIV as a platform to show that South Australia is a great place to do business. I want to pay tribute to and thank the leadership, staff and members at The Grange Golf Course for their continued partnership with LIV.”
