New Orleans – In Louisiana, which agreed to pay $5 million to Saudi-backed tours and spend an additional $2.2 million on the Bayou Oaks course in City Park, the LIV Golf League held its summer championship in 2026 in New Orleans.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for Hurricane Katrina’s 20th anniversary,” Gov. Jeff Landry said in an announcement with LIV golf official and Liv player Bubba Watson.
New Orleans has already played a long PGA Tour stop at the Zurich Classic in Louisiana TPC. Watson, who grew up for three hours in Pensacola, Florida, won Zurich in 2011 and praised him for his chance to play professionally in New Orleans again.
“I’m from the Gulf Coast, and it’s part of my home,” Watson said.
Watson didn’t care about the match date in late June, when hot consultations and thunderstorms were common. June is also a hurricane season, although closer to the starting point. Zurich is usually held in April.
“It’s the first year of the first year, so if you do get here for years, you can change the date anytime,” Watson said. “It’s going to be hot in a lot of places in the summer. … I grew up in the South; I know the Heat. We’re just preparing for that.”
This season, a LIV golf game was held in Dallas in late June, when the temperature hovered around 90 degrees during the day.
“We’ll try it out and we’ll see,” Landry said. “Whether we have to adjust the date after this outbreak, we’ll see it. But my goal is to make this Liv’s home.”
This year’s Louisiana provides approximately $650,000 in marketing and operational economic development funds for the Zurich Classic. TPC Louisiana also regularly receives state subsidies for state and facility improvements.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil declined to detail the $5 million Louisiana cost to host events compared to the amount of public funds held elsewhere.
“All markets are unique,” O’Neal said. “They all face unique challenges and opportunities.”
Organizers said the event is expected to add about $40 million to the local economy.
Landry said the New Orleans Agreement “gives us the opportunity to invest in the course,” the 170-year-old 1,300-acre city park in the United States.
“It’s a public property,” Landry said. “The field needs to be revitalized.”
Landry doesn’t play golf and says he doesn’t usually play professional games, partly because fans are usually quiet. Liv encourages a passionate fan experience over its rivals’ PGA Tour in most games.
“That’s not me,” Landry said. “That’s why I love Liv Golf. There’s no sign of ‘quiet’. It’s a party.”
Landry refuted concerns about whether New Orleans can fully support the PGA Tour and LIV golf games.
“I don’t think these events compete with each other,” Landry said. “It’s an opportunity to bring another group of people into another course.”
