There is still controversy around LIV Golf’s ties to the major events. The Majors have allowed LIV players to play, but not without controversy and criticism from certain fans. Claims that LIV golfers are treated like misfits or outcasts at these elite tournaments have surfaced time and time again. Players who joined the Saudi-backed League, including Cam Smith and Bryson DeChambeau, were subjected to media and fan heckling, however, an astute piece of observation by many has raised much more than a single eyebrow.
There’s always discussion about whether they should be given a ticket to the majors at all, considering how LIV has completely upended the established pro golf system. This background created the conditions for the most recent controversy around LIV golfers’ coverage at the 2024 PGA Championship. A tweet went viral on X, saying “Cam Smith is being shadowbanned from coverage! We need to fix this!”
Cam Smith is being shadowbanned from coverage! We need to fix this!
— Tron Carter (@TronCarterNLU) May 16, 2024
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It is quite evident from recent viewership numbers that LIV Golf has struggled to draw a stable audience, let alone a meaningful one. Its first year on the CW marked a consistent lowball of below 1000 viewers and, shockingly, this trend has crept into 2024. Could this be a reason?
Fans debate Cam Smith not being given the attention he deserves
This post fanned the flames among fans who felt LIV golfers were being deliberately ignored by broadcasters. One fan commented, “Happened during masters coverage too. Kinda wild.” The fact that the same instance has taken place in two back-to-back majors indicates a sign that the broadcasters, with their alleged allegiance to the Tour, on purpose choose not to highlight players from the breakaway league.
Someone else said, “LIV players are used to not being seen by anyone on tv coverage.” The absence of PGA Championship coverage for Cam Smith and other LIV stars like Bryson DeChambeau struck a nerve with this fan. It could also be a reference to the low watch rate of the LIV games, but that is changing soon, with LIV Gold Adelaide being a great example of the same.
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Some fans took this in a humorous way. One quipped, “Not seen a single non-putt from Bryson either.” The fans are in anticipation of seeing some of the best players in the game, like the Scientist himself, play to the best of their abilities, but the broadcasters would rather show them putting instead of taking the big hits.
However, some fans disagreed there was any bias, with one saying “Feel like I’ve seen every approach and putt of his.” This individual believes that Cam Smith already gets too much attention and there should be coverage of the other players.
These divided responses highlighted the polarizing effect LIV Golf has had on the sport.
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Smith went into the PGA Championship as one of the pre-tournament favorites, but he was largely ignored. His amazing play was mostly ignored because of rumors that broadcasters were deliberately restricting the prominence of LIV golfers.
The claims of coverage restrictions during the 2024 PGA Championship sparked an upheaval in golf. Since LIV fragmented the professional golf scene, the Saudi funding sources and player defections have all generated a lot of conversation. Opinions among viewers over the PGA Championship broadcasters’ limitation of Smith’s footage are mixed, but they show a sign of tension between the two camps.