Westfield to host LIV Golf event in August, with expected $21M economic impact

Posted by Admin November 13, 2024 Golf

Westfield to host LIV Golf event in August, with expected M economic impact

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LIV Golf, a professional men’s golf tour, is coming to Westfield next year, expanding the city’s growing sports tourism reputation.

The Club at Chatham Hills will host LIV Golf Indianapolis from Aug. 15-17 in 2025. The tournament will feature some of the best players in the sport competing across three days of individual and team competition.

Players will vie for the 2025 LIV Golf League Individual Champion title, final spots in the 2025 individual standings and seeds for the team championship during the tournament in Westfield, according to a news release from the city.

“The eyes of the world will be on Central Indiana, and Westfield will be front and center,” said Westfield Mayor Scott Willis at a press conference Wednesday. “This is an incredible opportunity to showcase our community’s charm, our hospitality and the incredible quality of life that makes Westfield such a special, special place to live.”

The tournament is expected to have a $21-29 million economic impact on Westfield.

“This kind of impact will ripple throughout our local economy, from the hotels, restaurants and retailers that will see an increase in demand to the jobs that will be created in preparation for the event itself,” Willis said.

The tournament will feature fan engagement activities, interactive experiences, live music and opportunities for local businesses to participate and benefit from the event’s economic impact.

“The selection of the Club at Chatham Hills to host the prestigious LIV Golf Individual Championship, just weeks before the Ryder Cup is played, is an exciting opportunity to showcase this premier golf course and allow spectators to see golf’s elite players right here in Indiana,” said Steve Henke of Henke Development, which developed The Club at Chatham Hills.

The course will be lengthened, bunkers will be renovated and other improvements will be made on the course in preparation for the LIV tournament. Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton are expected to be among the players competing in the tournament in Westfield.

LIV Golf will also host events in South Korea, Dallas, Andalucía, the UK and Chicago next year. Bringing LIV Golf to the city shows Westfield is not only a great place to live, but also a dynamic and growing destination for tourism, entertainment and sports, Willis said.

“This event will shine on an international spotlight on our city, and I believe it will forever change the way the world views Westfield,” he said. “We know that LIV Golf is not just a tournament, it’s a global spectacle.”

The event is expected to draw about 25,000 attendees over three days from all over the globe.

The city is already home to Grand Park, which saw more than 5.5 million visits in 2023 and hosts the annual Indianapolis Colts Training Camp in the summer. Earlier this year, it was announced Grand Park is in the running to be a 2026 World Cup training site.

Willis said hosting the LIV Golf event will leave a lasting legacy on Westfield.

“This just isn’t about economic impact,” he said. “It’s about opportunity for the businesses in Westfield and surrounding communities, it’s a chance to network, to connect with visitors and to be part of a world class event. For our residents, it’s an opportunity to see the best golfers in the world up close and personal right here, literally, in their own backyard.”

Deposits are being accepted to secure hospitality tickets before they go on sale. Fans can also sign up to LIV X for free to receive exclusive updates and access to tickets, including pre-sale information on hospitality and grounds passes.

What is LIV Golf and the controversy behind it?

LIV Golf was launched in 2021 as a competitor to the PGA, with Australian former professional golfer Greg Norman as its CEO. The league is meant to “modernize and supercharge” golf, according to its website.

Betsy Henke Garfield of Henke Development said she brought her young children to a LIV Golf event in Nashville in June and was impressed by how family friendly the atmosphere was.

“Everyone will be surprised to see how entertaining and how approachable golf is made in an environment where it feels comfortable to come experience it,” Henke Garfield said at a press conference Wednesday.

But LIV Golf has not been without controversy. The league is funded by a Saudi Arabian public investment fund as part of an initiative for the kingdom to reduce its dependence on oil. It has led to accusations of “sportswashing,” an attempt to use sports investments to gloss over human rights abuses, such as the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to the Associated Press.

Golfing stars like Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka were suspended by the PGA for taking massive Saudi payouts to join LIV when it launched. Other big names, such as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, were critical of LIV and the golfers who left the PGA to join the new league.

The drama continued into 2023 when the PGA Tour, European tour and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund announced plans to combine their commercial businesses into a new company with hopes of unifying golf. Negotiations are still ongoing to form the new company.

Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.