Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we’re all-in on PGA Tour golf Saturday, NFL conference championships Sunday.
Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.
LIV Golf’s broadcast deal with Fox is official, with the network carrying all rounds live. There will be a weekend this season where LIV Golf gets better ratings than the PGA Tour.
Bob Harig: FACT. The scheduling conflicts make this difficult because of the PGA Tour’s overall bigger base and then the fact that LIV plays a majority of its events overseas and while playing in late-night or early-morning time zones. Still, the weekend that LIV is in Mexico City is against the Zurich Classic only a few weeks after the Masters. In late June, LIV plays in Dallas the same weekend as a weaker-field Rocket Mortgage. Those offer some opportunities for a crossover audience.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. I’ll call my shot: A week before the Masters, I think LIV’s 2025 U.S. debut at Doral will outdraw the Tour’s event here in San Antonio.
John Schwarb: FACT. LIV does itself no favors while up against a number of PGA Tour signature events plus the playoffs, but here’s a weekend where it could break through: June 28-29. LIV plays in Dallas and the PGA Tour has the Rocket Mortgage Classic, a bottom-tier tournament.
Tyrrell Hatton won over a solid field in the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, and said his goal was to make a fourth straight European Ryder Cup team. There will be at least two LIV players on that team at Bethpage.
Bob Harig: FACT. Unless there is injury or a dramatic drop-off in play, you can count on Hatton and Jon Rahm being at Bethpage. The hoops jumped through via the DPWT appeal process tells us all we need to know there. And they are obviously worthy.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. Bob’s right: Rahm and Hatton deserve a spot and the DPWT will sort it, as it wants Europe’s best possible squad at Bethpage.
John Schwarb: FACT. Jon Rahm is a lock and Luke Donald will go with continuity in taking Hatton if the Englishman doesn’t play his way onto the team anyway—and he’s leading the standings now.
World No. 4 Collin Morikawa, who withdrew Sunday from the Farmers Insurance Open, has played in as many TGL events (1) as PGA Tour events in 2025. Ditto Xander Schauffele, world No. 2, who has withdrawn from two Tour stops since playing in the TGL’s first match. These are bad looks for the Tour.
Bob Harig: FACT. Schauffele appears to have some sort of medical issue or injury although he’s not specified (editor's note: rib injury). Morikawa’s decision to drop out of the Farmers could be tied to the idea that the Genesis Invitational could be moving there in a few weeks. The PGA Tour has always had a soft opening but so far it’s worse than that.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. The Tour usually has a mellow opening, and even with the Sentry’s rise to signature-event level, it’s status quo again this year. At least we got glimpses of Schauffele and Morikawa at TGL, so whatever ails them, it’s unlikely serious or long-term.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fact or Fiction: LIV Golf Will Have an Event With Higher TV Ratings Than the PGA Tour.
