Inside the wild world of LIV Golf! Glamorous WAGs party after the finale, as Dustin Johnson says $50m isn’t enough and reveals Greg Norman’s rebel tour spent $1.2BILLION in its first year
The first year of the controversial LIV Golf tour is in the books and the players – and their partners – are partying like it’s 1999.
The final event of the season, the LIV Team Championship, is currently being played at the Donald Trump-owned Blue Monster in Doral in Miami.
Greg Norman’s rebel tour had a troubled birth as protesters and detractors slammed the golfers for taking Saudi Arabian money to defect from the PGA Tour.
Paulina Gretzky with friend Kristina Melnichenko and Brooks Koepka’s wife Jena Sims in a stunning dress at the LIV Golf season finale in Florida
Dustin Johnson wonders how much money he can make from this thing after a blockbuster year in LIV Golf’s first season that earned him nearly $50million
But with players and their families paid an eye-watering $1.2BILLION in its first year, few are complaining.
That’s just a few, with the exception of American star Dustin Johnson.
The inaugural LIV Golf individual champion finished in the top 10 in all-but one of the seven events held this year and pocketed nearly $50 million for his troubles, but the American said it fell short of expectations.
Dustin Johnson and his wife Paulina Gretzky at the welcome party for the LIV Golf season finale at the Donald Trump-owned Blue Monster in Doral in Miami
‘I’m fine. I didn’t quite reach my goal. But yeah, I’m happy right now.’ Johnson said.
While Johnson may be a little salty about his pay packet, there is no such issue in the Pat Perez camp.
Pat Perez was able to extend his LIV Golf career after admitting he could no longer compete with younger players on the PGA Tour
He got a four-year $10 million deal and was just happy playing golf outside of the PGA Tour where he knew he could no longer compete.
‘I couldn’t be happier,’ he told SI Golf.
‘Look, I know I can’t beat those kids. This is a great opportunity for me.
‘I have nothing against the PGA Tour; they did a lot for me, but I had to earn everything I got there.’
Johnson may have good reason to wish he had pocketed more during the LIV Golf maiden season, with his wife Paulina Gretzky spending big on a year-long party.
Gretsky and LIV Brooks Koepka’s wife Jena Sims weren’t shy about posting pictures of the endless party the rebel tour provided.
Those photos include behind-the-scenes photos of the welcome party in the season finale.
Sims made a bold statement in her outfit for the LIV Golf season finale welcome party in Florida and was enjoying all the riches the rebel tour brought
Sims posted pictures of her physics-defying outfit held together by industrial strength wire with the caption: ‘I know I’m small, but that’s why she has two hands’.
His wife Koepka is likely to let her hair down, as LIV Golf gave her a second chance after her PGA career looked dead and buried.
‘The last two years have not been happy. It’s a long road,’ he told the Associated Press.
I don’t know if my career is over for a half-second. So it’s nice to come back and win.’
Cameron Smith, winner of the LIV Golf Invitational-Chicago tournament stands with third-place Peter Uihlein, left, and second-place Dustin Johnson
Australia’s highest profile LIV Golf defector Cameron Smith also has reason to smile after winning his first LIV Golf title in September.
It comes after he won The Open on the PGA Tour before jumping ship, bringing his combined earnings for 2022 to around $15.8million.
The rivers of gold are set to flow more freely by 2023, with the number of LIV Golf events doubling from seven to 14 and spending rising to around A$1.56billion.
