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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Joshua Lees

LIV Golf risks frustrating American fans after hidden cost in YouTube switch

LIV Golf have confirmed coverage of their 54-hole events will be returning to YouTube, but will be behind a paywall for golf fans wanting to watch from the United States.

All eight of LIV Golf's tournaments in their maiden 2022 season were streamed on YouTube and Facebook, and were free to watch across the world. Earlier this year the breakaway circuit then announced it had secured its first ever TV deal, with US-based CW taking the broadcasting rights Stateside.

Since teaming up with CW it has not all gone to plan for Greg Norman and co, with their first two events of the season in Mexico and Tucson out-viewed by the network's 'World's Funniest Animals'.

The broadcaster was also left red-faced at LIV's last tournament in Tulsa, after the CW cut away from the tournament's play-off hole between Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith and Branden Grace to return to its regular programming. Ahead of tournament seven of 2023, the rebel circuit have confirmed that its coverage has now made a return to YouTube.

Outside of the US, golf fans have only been able to access LIV tournaments via the LIV Golf Plus app, and they still can as well as on YouTube for free. Stateside however, those wanting to tune in will have to pay $3 for the privilege due to the breakaway league reportedly having to protect their broadcasting deal with CW.

LIV Golf signed a deal with CW earlier this year (Getty Images)

Confirming the news in a statement, LIV Golf's Chief Media Officer, Will Staeger said: "Expanding the availability of LIV Golf’s live coverage on YouTube marks another milestone in the innovative ways in which we are making our groundbreaking competition available to viewers.

"LIV Golf is a global league comprised of some of the game’s biggest stars, and this supports our goal of bringing the sport we love to more people in more places around the world.” Their new service is already available, with the opening round of LIV Golf DC streamed on Friday.

All eyes were on Brooks Koepka heading into day one in the US capital, with the American returning to LIV for the first time since his PGA Championship victory. Things did not exactly go to plan for Koepka though after breaking his driver on the sixth hole, before going onto shoot a level-par 72 in round one to leave him in a tie for 28th heading into the weekend.

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