LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil says Busan event will blend golf and entertainment

Scott O’Neil, CEO of LIV Golf. [Photo=LIV Golf]

LIV Golf, launched in 2022 and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has sought to reshape pro golf by pairing competition with entertainment. The effort is led by CEO Scott O’Neil, a sports marketing executive who took the job in January last year.

Now LIV is returning to South Korea, this time in Busan. After holding its first Korea event last year in Songdo, Incheon, the tour will stage “LIV Golf Korea 2026” from May 28 to 31 at Busan Asiad Country Club in Gijang.

The news agency met O’Neil on the 27th at Busan Asiad Country Club. He said LIV’s goal is to give golf “new life” by building a festival-like atmosphere around the sport.

Bryson DeChambeau tees off on the 11th hole during the final round of LIV Golf Korea at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on May 4, 2025. [Photo=LIV Golf]

◆Entertainment as the core strategy

O’Neil previously led Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, and most recently served as CEO of Merlin Entertainments. He has pushed LIV to differentiate itself with music and a more interactive atmosphere, rather than the quiet tone typical of many tournaments.

He said the sport needs change because golf audiences are aging. “The average age of people watching golf on TV or coming to tournaments is getting older by about one year every year,” he said. “To keep this sport developing and growing, we need clear change. We have to bring younger generations to the course by fusing golf with culture — music, fashion and art.”

O’Neil said he was struck by the power of pop culture after seeing fans line up for a BTS concert at a major U.S. venue he once managed. “Even though the show was at 7 p.m., fans were lined up from 7 a.m. — a line about 3 miles (about 5 kilometers) long,” he said. “It made me realize how powerful that kind of cultural experience can be.”

He pointed to Australia as evidence that the approach can broaden participation. “After we held an event in Australia, golf participation among girls ages 8 to 16 increased by 200%,” he said. He added that waiting lists at some courses have stretched to three years and that 40% of new members are under 35. “You see parents pushing strollers, and young women coming with friends to enjoy world-class golf that also feels like a music festival and a fashion show,” he said.

G-Dragon performs after the final round of LIV Golf Korea at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on May 4, 2025. [Photo=LIV Golf]

◆A “party” atmosphere and a 4:35 round

At a news conference at the same venue, O’Neil highlighted LIV’s shotgun starts, with players beginning simultaneously on all 18 holes. He said LIV rounds are more than an hour shorter than other tours.

“Teenagers today don’t have long attention spans,” he said. “A round that ends in 4 hours and 35 minutes is a much more effective and attractive TV entertainment product than something that drags on for 11 hours.”

LIV said the format has helped draw large crowds: 115,000 spectators in Australia, about 100,000 in South Africa, about 65,000 in the United Kingdom and about 60,000 in the United States.

O’Neil said the Korea stop also showed signs of reaching new audiences. “Sixty percent of the gallery at last year’s Korea event were first-time golf spectators, and 40% of the total crowd were women,” he said. “That’s a very positive sign that our mission to grow golf globally is being realized.”

He said he wants the Busan event to feel like a true festival. “What I want to bring to Korea is a perfect ‘party,’” he said. “Not a quiet tournament that demands silence, but a stage full of energy and passion where the gallery cheers loudly.” He cited last year’s South Africa event, where fans spontaneously sang their national anthem together on the 18th green, and said he hopes to see a similar moment in Busan.

Questions have been raised about LIV’s long-term finances, and some foreign media have reported concerns about a possible financial crunch. O’Neil rejected that. “We have already secured enough funding to operate the 2026 season,” he said, adding that sponsorship from major partners has grown to about $500 million. LIV said this year’s revenue rose by $100 million from a year earlier and global ticket sales jumped 129%.

Members of Korean Golf Club (GC) — Danny Lee, Song Young-han, Kim Min-kyu and captain An Byeong-hun — walk together during LIV Golf week at The Dutchman’s Pipe Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 13, 2026. [Photo=LIV Golf]

◆All-Korean Korean GC makes home debut

One storyline in Busan will be the first home appearance for Korean Golf Club (GC), a newly retooled team made up entirely of South Korean players. Formerly known as Iron Head GC, the team has adopted a white tiger emblem and will be led by captain An Byeong-hun along with Kim Min-kyu, Song Young-han and Danny Lee.

At a media day, O’Neil said the players have “excellent star power, character and the persistence Koreans are known for,” and predicted they would thrive with strong support from home fans in Busan.

Top names are also expected to contend, including defending Korea champion Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann and Cameron Smith.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Kang Sang Heon