The CW Network came under fire for pulling the LIV Golf Tulsa event off air before its dramatic conclusion that saw Dustin Johnson emerge victorious from a three-way playoff against Cameron Smith and Branden Grace.
Live coverage from Cedar Ridge Country Club was still available in select areas or through the app, but viewers in certain regions of America were unable to watch the final few holes of the third round and the ensuing playoff on television, following a near two-hour rain delay.
LIV Golf off actual TV here in Brooklyn with a few holes left on Sunday. Channel 11 decided to go with S9E8 of Penn & Teller "Animal Style". Not a joke.May 14, 2023
"LIV Golf off actual TV here in Brooklyn with a few holes left on Sunday," Dan Rapaport of Barstool Sports tweeted. "Channel 11 decided to go with S9E8 of Penn & Teller 'Animal Style'. Not a joke."
Fans in the replies called the decision "laughable" and "such a bad look", among other things. Others reported they were served an episode of "Family Feud" as an alternative to the golf and therefore missed Smith putting the finishing touches on a closing nine-under 61 to make up six shots on Johnson in the final round, before the American eventually prevailed with a birdie at the first extra hole.
According to @hen_ease CW cut off TV coverage with Dustin, Cam, and Brendan Grace all tied for the lead with 3 holes to go. Turned over to CW and Family Feud is now on. Ouch.May 14, 2023
Did they really just cut off Liv golf for an infomercial on CW? ..lolMay 14, 2023
At the risk of stating the obvious: *Any* sports network dropping a live broadcast seconds before overtime is a terrible look.Doesn't matter if it's also available on an app. Doesn't matter if it wasn't dropped everywhere. Shouldn't happen. Period. https://t.co/v7DoQCGKUtMay 15, 2023
Sounds like the CW pulled away from LIV with 4 holes to go in favor of (depending on your market) Black-ish or Family Feud. I'd say you can't make it up, but you definitely could have made this up!May 14, 2023
The breakaway circuit heralded its new TV deal with The CW, describing it as a "momentous day" ahead of the first event of 14 in 2023. "The CW will provide accessibility for our fans and maximum exposure for our athletes and partners as their reach includes more than 120 million households across the United States," LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said.
As part of the deal, it was agreed that only live tournament action on Saturdays and Sundays would be shown on TV, with Friday's coverage available only on the CW app. It remains to be seen then whether Sunday's mishap will prove the exception or the norm if LIV Golf experiences future delays, but dropping coverage before one of the circuit's most dramatic conclusions surely won't have gone down well with Norman and Co.
