LIV GOLF MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 14, 2022

Greg Norman

Press Conference

PETER MALINAUSKAS: Good morning, everybody. Today is an incredibly exciting day for those who love the great game of golf, but any sports-loving fan around the country and indeed the world because today I'm very excited to be able to announce that LIV Golf's first tournament in Australia will be here in Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club.

It was a young 21-year-old Queenslander who won his first professional tournament right back in 1976 at the Grange Golf Club, and of course I'm talking about Greg Norman, who lit up the golfing world, and from there established a reputation as a true leader of the sport globally.

I'm so excited about the fact that Greg Norman is taking golf into a new age, into a new era that is attracting new fans, particularly from a younger demographic, right around the world.

Changing things up is something that Greg Norman does and it's something that we're doing right here in South Australia, particularly when it comes to major events. The prospect of having LIV Golf right here in Grange in April next year only a week after the first ever Magic Round is something that the whole nation can get fired up about.

This effort is being led by Greg Norman. I think he deserves a lot of praise for taking on a very substantial task. It isn't easy putting a new golf tournament together, let alone a whole new Tour. Yeah, that's exactly what's happening, and it's increasingly taking the world by storm.

On that note I'd like to introduce none other than the winner of the 1976 West End Open from Grange Golf Club, Greg Norman.

GREG NORMAN: Good morning, everybody. Premier, to you and your distinguished guests, it's been a heck of a journey, not just for this year and for the beta season for LIV but for golf in general. I've had a long history of understanding what golf is needed, what golf is missed, and what we can deliver and what we can and what we have delivered.

The Premier touched on my history back here, but my history goes a little bit further back than 1996. My history goes back to my father's great grandfather landed in Port Lincoln. So my journey in Australia really started right here in South Australia, even though I'm a banana bender, don't hold that against me. Really my whole family history from my father's side started here in South Australia.

It's a great honor for me to be able to stand here on behalf of LIV, on behalf of hundreds of people who work for LIV across the world today, to these people behind the scenes who have committed themselves to this new platform, to this new direction, to what golf has really needed for the last 45 years: To come in and disrupt an industry that's been controlled by one institution, and it shouldn't be that way. Competition is the best thing for everything in life and in business and in sport.

I'm proud of the fact that I can be here in South Australia today with all of you to announce LIV coming here in April of next year.

There's a lot of work that's got to go into it, and just to give you an example, here we are today in November, and we're going to be here again in April. It's a very, very short time period. The massive effort that will go on with the Premier's staff and the South Australian government, to my staff and the people behind the scenes to get this tournament to exactly the footprint that we've delivered eight times this year and then in 2023 it'll be 14 times, is a monumental effort.

To think we've put on eight events in seven months around the world in all different locations is nothing short of miraculous. But why was it successful? Because people want it. Forget all this white noise going on out there. The acceptance of the LIV platform from the players to the caddies to the fans to the family members -- and let me just touch on that.

I've had more wives come up to me this entire year, eight events, young girls I've never even met before because of these young players I have out there, come up to me at the end of a Sunday night and give me the biggest hug with a tear in their eye saying, thank you for making my husband so happy, or thank you for making my boyfriend so happy. These are the things that the people out there don't realize what the LIV family has created, and we are a family. We're building the game of golf as a force for good.

I as the CEO am proud of that. I'm honored to be the person representing everybody behind me in LIV. It's not all about me. I've got an incredible team.

But going back to the South Australian government, for the Premier and his team in a short period of time to negotiate with our team to see the vision and to see the footprint that LIV can deliver, I'm proud to be here. I'm looking forward to getting back here in April.

Premier, thank you. Thank you to you and your team, and look forward to messing with you in a couple months. Appreciate it. Thanks very much.

PETER MALINAUSKAS: On that note, Greg, I would like to take the opportunity to thank a few key people that have been working so hard on this effort. There's been a team within the South Australian government from DPC and the SATC with the TAF and Damien Walker. I also want to thank Zoe Bettison, who's Minister of Tourism in South Australia who's here, as well as Leon Bignell, who's been working as the chair of our Major Events Attraction Committee.

I do want to thank you, Nicolle, and everybody from the team at the Grange Golf Club but importantly, I would like acknowledge Ron as part of your team, Greg, because they have worked so hard in a short period of time.

Just to provide a bit of context for South Australians, about the economic opportunity associated with having LIV Golf here in Adelaide, we are going to have some of the world's most substantial names that have ever walked golf courses right here in South Australia. Cam Smith, one of the best golfers if not the best golfer in the world, one of the best products that Australia has ever produced in terms of golf, the recent winner of the British Open, right here in Adelaide; Phil Mickelson, multiple major winner; Dustin Johnson; Bryson DeChambeau; of course Brooks Koepka. These are some of the biggest names you'll find in international golf, and all of them will be right here in our city showcasing our state.

That brings with it untold economic opportunity. From the moment that the rumors started circling about where LIV Golf would land, we knew there was a bit of competition about where you would end up, Greg, but from the moment the rumors started circling that LIV could end up in Adelaide, my phone along with many others lit up like a Christmas tree talking about where are the best places to stay, go and book.

We anticipate that between the weekend prior with the AFL 24th round and LIV Golf the following weekend that in excess of $70 million worth of economic activity will be brought right here to the state of South Australia.

The prospect of having April as being the only -- Adelaide being the only place to be in the nation during the month of April is something we're very excited about.

This event will be right smack bang in the middle of school holidays, so we will see the whole state bursting at the seams showcasing everything we have to offer.

We know, Greg, that when people come to South Australia for the first time, they end up wanting to come back a second time. They go home and they spread the word.

So the prospect of having LIV Golf attracting a whole new demographic of people to come to our state, not just to experience golf but to experience all of our amazing regions and the world-class food and beverage offering is something that is worthwhile to be excited about indeed.

We can't thank you enough, Greg, for placing LIV Golf's confidence in the state of South Australia.

Let me assure you that when people land in Adelaide airport coming here for the LIV Golf tournament, they will know something special is going on in Adelaide, and when they leave, they'll be quickly booking the next year's trip.

I'm very excited to be able to announce that we've got a four-year agreement with LIV Golf, so the prospect of having this tournament not just in 2023 but also certainly in '24 means that we can plan for it and equally get excited about it.

I know the tourism industry is represented here today through the Tourism Industry Council of South Australia, TICSA and also the AHA, and I want to thank both of you for being here today. We're so excited as a state. The industry is excited.

The final point I'll make if you don't mind me doing so is this: In South Australia, throughout the course of COVID, we saw some industries being impacted harder than others. There were some parts of our economy that outperformed expectations during COVID.

But they were able to do so because of the sacrifice of others. No greater sacrifice was paid than that by the tourism and hospitality sector in the state of South Australia. For every single person that works in a hotel, works in a pub who gave up your capital, your labor, your means in the name of everybody else's safety, well, you deserve a repayment, and that's what my government is committed to. By investing in major events, AFL Magic Round and LIV Golf amongst others, we know we are stimulating the economy in such a way that benefits those who have needed it most, those who have paid the biggest sacrifice throughout the course of COVID.

We're excited about a massive summer ahead, but I think what we're most excited about now is the month of April. This is going to be unlike any other sporting event that we've hosted in the state of South Australia, and it's something that is truly international that we can all be very proud of indeed.

Again, Greg, thank you for your confidence in the state of South Australia, and let me assure you, we won't be letting you down. Thank you very much.