Golf odds: Upstart LIV Golf offers astronomical bonus for every round

LIV Golf is the latest start-up professional sports league, and its next event is scheduled for June 30-July 2 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland, Ore.

Let’s take a look at what the new league is promising as it attempts to lure golfers, fans and sponsors away from the PGA Tour.

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One thing LIV Golf did to grab headlines and entice players to leave the PGA Tour was offer a plethora of insane bonuses. Money talks, right?

One, in particular, is an outrageous bonus. As in, $54 million outrageous.

The league is dangling a $54 million bonus for any player who shoots a round of 54 or better during a LIV event. Broken down into simple terms, to shoot a 54 on a par-72 course, the player has to average a birdie for every hole.

The money is unlikely to be attained, as 59 is considered the gold standard of professional golf.

For reference, FOX Sports Research reveals there have been only 12 rounds of 59 or better in PGA Tour history, with one 58 (Jim Furyk at the 2016 Travelers Championship). No 57s, 56s or 55s, let alone any 54s.

“The LIV $54 million payout for a round of 54 can be chalked up as clickbait marketing,” FOX Bet sports trader Dylan Brossman stated. “The PGA record stands at 58, so it would take an absurd effort to break that mark by four strokes unless the LIV Tour intends to set up their courses in a gimmicky fashion with the aim of producing artificially low scores. 

“Their tournaments also feature a mere 48 players, limiting their chances even further. The U.S. Open, for comparison, had 156 golfers last weekend. Hypothetically, FOX Bet would have no issue offering ‘Any Golfer to Shoot 54 or Lower in a Single Round’ at +100000 for the U.S. Open.”

Tiger Woods says his lowest round was a 59 playing in a friendly match (Tiger fans know it’s friendly in name only when Tiger tees it up) against close friend Mark O’Meara, and he’s never recorded a 60. The 15-time major winner has shot 61 four times in tournaments.

At LIV’s inaugural event June 9-11 in London, the lowest rounds were 65s carded by eventual winner Charl Schwartzel in the first round and in the third/final round by Branden Grace, who finished tied for third.

LIV Golf has lured some big-name golfers to leave the PGA Tour.  Phil Mickelson reportedly got $200 million to leave the PGA Tour. Mickelson, by the way, has earned $94 million in his PGA career and has won six majors, which is tied for 12th on the all-time list. 

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson is another well-known golfer who was lured to LIV. Reportedly, Johnson signed a four-year contract worth $125 million. Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka signed on Monday.

The golfers mentioned above are among 10 major champions to jump to LIV. The other major winners include Bryson DeChambeau (the 2020 U.S. Open champion who described his move as “a business decision, first and foremost”), two-time major winner Martin Kaymer (2010 PGA Championship, 2014 U.S. Open), 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed, 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, 2010 U.S. Open victor Graeme McDowell and Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters winner.

Mickelson, DeChambeau and Johnson are the biggest names in the LIV. And each has a low round of 60 (Mickelson has done it three times). Koepka’s lowest round is 63, at the PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019.

How difficult is shooting a 54?

Consider this: Olivia Prokopova won her fifth US Open in the US ProMinigolf Association on May 22 by shooting a 351 over 10 rounds (35.1 strokes per round) – and she had 32 aces.

So are you betting a LIV golfer shoots a 54 during a round this year? Head over to FOX Bet to place your wagers now!

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