NEXT BIG THING

Manila Southwoods has reportedly gained the inside track as the first golf course in the Philippines to stage a LIV Golf tournament.

That is after LIV Golf chief executive officer and golf legend Greg Norman paid a visit to the twin championship courses in Carmona, Cavite.

After all, the biggest golf event deserves the biggest golf course.

The exclusive club’s general manager Jayson Yu kept the details under wraps but shared pictures of Norman with Manila Southwoods chairman Robert John Sobrepeña having a chat on Tuesday.

Southwoods is among the top clubs in the country hoping to stage the LIV Golf stop reportedly being here in the Philippines.

LIV Golf just concluded its highly-successful Adelaide tournament where a record 94,000 crowd showed up over the past three days.

The electric format of LIV Golf, where players play just three rounds and wear shorts, has been gaining on the established PGA Tour three years after its inception.

And with LIV Golf making a swing of the golf-crazy cities in Asia — its next stop is in Sentosa, Singapore this weekend — talks of it finally having a Philippine leg spread like wildfire.

Already, Norman has reportedly inspected the highly exclusive Sta. Elena and The Country Club, both also in Laguna.

Wack Wack, which is right smack in the center of Metro Manila, is also reportedly in the running as host.

Yet by sheer track record, Manila Southwoods has the advantage. Its Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters and Legends courses have hosted several Philippine Open championships through the years.

It has also hosted the Eisenhower Cup in 1996, Nomura and Queen Sirikit Cup the past few years, as well as several Asian Tour meets.

LIV Golf, fast-rising and bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has been in talks with the PGA Tour for a possible merger. But it has many sticking points especially on the touchy issue of source of funds.

Meantime, LIV has already acquired some of the biggest names in golf with Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm already in the fold, among others.

With a roster that heavy, a LIV Golf tournament here in the country is a slam-dunk hit among Filipino golf fans.