'It’s Been Amazing,' - Poulter On 'Remarkable' First Year Of LIV Golf

Ian Poulter says it's been an "incredible" experience watching LIV Golf's "remarkable" growth over the last 12 months.

Centurion hosted the first ever LIV Golf event last year, as one of eight events in the inaugural season of Greg Norman's new golf tour, which has expended to 14 events in the 2023 LIV Golf League season.

And with a return to Centurion coming up in a couple of weeks, Poulter - who admits he was "diving into the unknown" when signing up - says the progression has been remarkable in such a short space of time.

“Thinking where we started from to now it’s pretty remarkable,” Poulter told Wales Online.

“It was diving into the unknown. It was a completely new atmosphere, a completely new product.

“As the product has grown, you can see the vision behind it. We’ve achieved a lot in those 12 months collectively as a group of players and as a group of people behind LIV to create a new product for a younger audience, a slightly different demographic, and an international product.

“It’s exciting, so being nervous in the first one was understandable, but now it’s a very different feeling.”

There's been a monumental shift in the golfing landscape since LIV Golf launched, as the PGA Tour shocked the world by agreeing a deal with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) - who have bankrolled LIV Golf's introduction.

One of the big questions of the deal as it's fleshed out by Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan is the future of LIV Golf, but Norman reportedly told LIV Golf employees that it's business as usual.

With Poulter's own team Majesticks GC signing a deal with one of his sponsors, indicating that they are certainly planning for the future, the 47-year-old is keen to point out the virtues of LIV Golf, as showcased by their successful trip to Australia. 

“You go from looking at the vision to tasting it and feeling it and living it and growing with it and the experience has been incredible," Poulter added.

“You look back to Adelaide as a showcase event and what LIV Golf can do for an area. Adelaide is one that hasn’t had its fair share of events but look at what LIV Adelaide did to the region.

"From a perspective of bringing in 75,000 fans, new sponsors, a hole in one, crazy atmosphere, a great concert.

“As a concept for us to participate in, it was exciting and refreshing to see fans enjoying themselves."

The LIV Golf League is in Spain at Valderrama next week before returning to where it all began at Centurion at the start of July.