ADELAIDE and NEW YORK – South Australia Tourism Commission (SATC) and LIV Golf, the global golf league blending world-class competition with entertainment and culture to grow the game worldwide, today announced that the 2026 LIV Golf Adelaide event generated a total economic impact of $118.6 million USD ($165.0 million AUD) to the Australian economy–and delivered $69.8 million USD ($97.1 million AUD) directly into the Adelaide economy, a 36% increase in economic impact compared to the 2025 event. This year’s direct contribution was driven by organizational spending and a significant influx of visitors. The record-breaking event was held at The Grange Golf Club from February 12-15, 2026 and underscores the League’s significant positive influence on its host communities.
The event, which featured LIV Golf’s new expanded four-day, 72-hole format, drew a record 115,000 attendees, the largest golf event in Australia’s history. Enthusiastic fans saw LIV Golf Adelaide’s home team, the all-Australian Ripper GC squad (Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, and Elvis Smylie), win the team title, and the historic comeback of 4Aces GC’s Anthony Kim and his first-ever LIV Golf title.
First place individual champion, Anthony Kim of 4Aces GC, celebrates following LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club on Sunday, February 15, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by LIV Golf)
To date, LIV Golf has generated more than $1.5 billion USD total global economic impact; this is inclusive of LIV Golf Adelaide’s record-breaking economic impact figures over the last four years. To-date, LIV Golf Adelaide has delivered $314.6 million AUD in economic contribution to South Australia.
International and Local Fans Help Drive Economic and Tourism Impact
The tournament proved to be a major tourism driver, with 43% of attendees traveling from outside of South Australia. Of these out-of-state visitors, 22,721 traveled from other parts of Australia. Traveling fans extended their stay in Adelaide, with the average visitor staying for 3.71 nights to attend multiple event days. This extended duration is a key contributor to their higher economic impact.
The event’s attendance has consistently grown year-over-year, reaching a record 115,000 in 2026. This represents a 12% increase from 2025 (102,483 attendees) and a significant rise from 2024 (94,327 attendees).
“LIV Golf Adelaide continues to set a new standard for what a golf tournament can bring to a city,” said Ross Hallett, EVP, Head of Events for LIV Golf. “The passion of the fans in South Australia is unmatched, and we’re incredibly proud to see growing interest and support for LIV Golf as well as Ripper GC. The event’s success has translated into a substantial and lasting positive impact for the region and is a testament to the impact we want to have with our partners in host communities across the globe. We’re grateful to SATC and the Premier for their continued support as we continue to set new benchmarks for the golf industry.”
South Australia Premier, Peter Malinauskas added “LIV Golf Adelaide has given us 314 million reasons to back in major events for South Australia. Not only did the 2026 tournament generate over $97 million for our economy, but it broke national and LIV attendance records and cemented our state’s position as a forward-thinking leader in world-class event delivery. The value of international events like LIV Golf goes way beyond the dollar figure, with the thousands of out-of-state attendees going on to be passionate advocates for South Australia as a place to visit, live, and do business for years to come.”
Ripper GC and LIV Golf Accelerating Australia’s Golf Participation
Ripper GC members pose for a photo with attendees during the Little Rippers Clinic before the start of LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. (Photo by LIV Golf)
In 2024, LIV Golf and Ripper GC’s partnership with Golf Australia launched MyGolf, powered by Ripper GC. The national grassroots program for youth aged 5-12 welcomes “Little Rippers” and continues to foster the next generation of golfers in Australia through hands-on activities and instruction across Australia.
Prior to LIV Golf Adelaide 2026, Ripper GC hosted a masterclass clinic and meet-and-greet with 70 local youth. In 2024, the partnership reached nearly 17,000 junior golfers nationally with 444 venues delivering golf instruction. In 2026, the program is on track to reach a record-breaking target of over 40,000 junior golfers across the country. This local development work is additive to global figures that have seen under-18 Australian golf club members more than double, posting a 112% increase over a rolling five-year period.
Recently, the team announced that Australian professional star Grace Kim was named an Ambassador to the program, bringing her expertise and inspiration to help grow the girls’ game and encourage additional youth participation nationwide.
Key Event Features Illustrate Inclusive, Family-Friendly Environment
LIV Golf Adelaide 2026 successfully attracted a dynamic fan base, blending traditional golf fans, families, and experience seekers. The event welcomed a strong contingent of returning spectators (60%), alongside a significant 36% of attendees who were attending their first golf event, and 14% who identified as non-golf players. Additionally, over 7,000 first responders, military veterans, and students from the wider South Australia community attended throughout the event. Across the four days, 39% of attendees were under the age of 45, while women accounted for 29% of the total crowd. The event also demonstrated a powerful social experience overall; the vast majority of fans attended with friends (55%) or a partner (33%), while 15% brought children, averaging more than one child per group.
To enhance event inclusivity for fans with hidden disabilities, the Sunflower program was fully introduced at LIV Golf Adelaide 2026. This initiative featured dedicated spaces, including a specialised sensory bus, designed to help fans decompress and feel entirely comfortable on-site.
The event celebrated local culture by showcasing the work of indigenous artist Tony Albert throughout the Fan Village. Savour by LIV Golf Culinary Showcase brought local and regional chefs to the course for live demonstrations and interactive sampling. This also featured a wine tasting experience with LIV Golf Adelaide’s exclusive wine partner, Penfolds Winery.
For the first time, LIV Golf Adelaide 2026 hosted four nights of concerts after-play, with shows headlined by local and global artists, including Australian artists Peking Duk and Royel Otis on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s concert was headlined by globally-renowned U.S. DJ John Summit, who was playing in Australia for the first time and saw 60% of Saturday’s fans attend the concert (17,550 people). Award winning Australian DJ FISHER–who was playing the event for the fourth year in a row–took the stage immediately following the trophy ceremony on Sunday.
John Summit performs during a concert after the third round of the LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club on Saturday, February 14, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by LIV Golf)
Environmental Stewardship and New Sustainability Features
Beyond the economic benefits, LIV Golf Adelaide 2026 drove significant community and environmental initiatives through the League’s LIV For Good platform, meaningful, measurable change across three interconnected pillars: Game, Community, and Planet.
Reinforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship, LIV Golf Adelaide is actively pursuing GEO Sustainable Golf Event accreditation for the third consecutive year. In addition to multiple GEO event certifications each season, LIV Golf is the first league, tour, or major body in the golf industry to be ISO 20121 certified. LIV Golf joins the likes of F1, the Olympics, Liverpool FC, and the Philadelphia Eagles to achieve this international standard for sustainable event management.
On-site environmental initiatives included installing 20 solar towers, utilizing The Grange Golf Club’s 90% renewable mains power, implementing a closed-loop waste system with 96% biodegradable branding, and donating 17 tons of carpet for reuse in local housing projects.
The success of LIV Golf Adelaide demonstrates the League’s ability to merge world-class golf with a festival-like atmosphere that welcomes the entire family, providing measurable benefits for local economies, communities, and the environment.
After four successful events at The Grange Golf Club, LIV Golf Adelaide 2027 will be held at Kooyonga Golf Club before it moves to the newly renovated North Adelaide Golf Course in 2028.
