The LIV logo Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Will LIV Golf ratings get a boost after the Masters?

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 4/19/23

For all the flak that LIV Golf got leading up to the Masters earlier this month, some of its golfers have certainly gotten warmer responses after playing so well at Augusta. The question now is whether that attention will turn into more fans tuning in to watch LIV Golf events.

The first two LIV Golf events this year had astonishingly bad viewership, which was not a great look for Greg Norman's rogue golf circuit. With LIV Golf Adelaide getting underway on Friday, it's fair to wonder if more fans will be inclined to tune in this time around.

Friday’s Rd. 1 groups #LIVGolfAdelaide include a couple of firsts

▶️ Captains playing together in first 4 groups for first time

▶️ All other teammates playing together for first time in same group

Shotgun start at 11:45 am local pic.twitter.com/I9MTXsgwbq
— LIVGolfComms (@LIVGolfComms) April 19, 2023

There's no denying that having the PGA Tour and LIV Golf pros packed into one event was great for Masters viewership. While the likes of Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm certainly made fans want to watch, a competitive Brooks Koepka and a rejuvenated Phil Mickelson gave fans a reason to tune in as well.

CBS says Sunday’s final round of the Masters was the most-watched golf telecast on any network in five years, averaging 12.058 million viewers and up +19% vs. last year.
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) April 11, 2023

It does need to be remembered, however, that the upcoming LIV Golf event won't be the same as watching the Masters. LIV Golf events are team tournaments and don't have the same flow as PGA and DP World Tour events. It has been speculated the team format doesn't translate as well to TV, which could be a reason ratings for the first couple of LIV Golf events this season have had such poor viewership.

There is also the question of whether fans will simply wait for the next major to see LIV golfers in action. Again, part of the appeal with the Masters was that golfers from the rival tours were playing together. Will fans wait until the PGA Championship to see their favorite LIV defectors instead of tuning in to the event in Adelaide this weekend?

Clearly, there are a lot of questions surrounding the status of LIV Golf's ratings and viewership and not many answers. We'll just have to wait until LIV Golf Adelaide tees off on Friday to find out.

More must-reads: