'Dire from start to finish': Fans react to inaugural LIV Golf Invitational

After months of uproar, controversy and promotion, the LIV Golf Invitational is now finally underway after its inaugural event teed off at Centurion.

Forty-eight players eventually competed in the first tournament of Greg Norman’s breakaway league – including the likes of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson – as Charl Schwartzel reigned victorious to take home a mouth-watering sum of money in the three-day event.

Unsurprisingly, the chaotic opening week sent the golf world into turmoil and had just about everyone weighing in on the event, from Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, to two of our very own writers who watched on with curiosity.

But what about those most important to the spectacle of golf, you guys, the fans? With the first LIV Golf tournament now in the books as the series moves on to Portland, we asked our readers on social media what they made of it all.

As a whole, the event was met with mixed reactions. Many saw it as a pure disaster, particularly unimpressed by the shotgun format…

“The shotgun start is one of the worst ideas of all time. Courses are designed to be played in a particular way. Imagine starting your round at Sawgrass on the 17th tee!”
Stephen Kirwan

“The teams? what was that all about! Shotgun start is for a Captain’s Day to get everyone back for the meal at the same time. Hardly incites tension.”
Alan McGlaughlin

“Pretty much dire from start to finish. The only reason it was free on YouTube was to get people interested. Terrible format. I cannot see in a million years what the attraction is from a fans perspective.”
Phillip Coleman

Other fans were more welcoming to the unique format and were impressed with the uninterrupted coverage – with the event aired for free on YouTube.

“I really enjoyed it. The team names are a bit daft but the whole concept brings something fresh to the sport. Good coverage with lots of golf shown.”
Joel Taylor

“For golf to survive we need new formats and tournaments. LIV Golf was a pleasant change to the advert infested version we have all been subjected to. Like all new projects there are teething problems which all the naysayers are quick to jump on.”
Terry Dewis

“From a fans point of view, the setup was brilliant. The fan village with the entertainment was bang on. A bit pricey but that’s to be expected.”
Alex Roberts

In part fuelled by the constant comparison and ongoing war between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, many then couldn’t help but make equate the event to its rival’s tournament from the weekend, the Canadian Open, which arguably produced some of purest, most exhilarating golf of the year thus far.

“The shotgun start and F1 leaderboard worked better than I expected. It was the first event, it will get better. It was nothing, though, compared to the brilliant golf on the main tours this weekend.“
Martin Hardwidge

“Didn’t even compare to the Canadian Open. It’s the golfing equivalent of footballers going off to the Chinese league.”
Steve Holmes

“About what I expected, an exhibition. Then we had the amazing Canadian Open to watch, with the world’s best golfers playing as though their lives depended on the next shot.”
Keith Yeoman

What did you think of the first LIV Golf Invitational? Get in touch, or send us a tweet.

Listen to NCG’s Alex Perry discussing the LIV Golf Invitational on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast