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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Club at Chatham Hills is set to host the 2025 regular-season finale for international professional golf tour LIV Golf, Westfield and tour officials announced Wednesday.
LIV Golf Indianapolis, scheduled for Aug. 15-17, is expected to draw up to 30,000 people to Chatham Hills. It will be the first top-tier professional golf event hosted by the course.
LIV shared the news in a post on social media early Wednesday morning, unveiling six stops on its 2025 schedule, including new events in Indianapolis and South Korea. The tour also noted that Dallas and Chicago will be among its U.S. stops next year.
Additional details about the event are expected to be shared publicly during a news conference Wednesday morning.
The event will serve as the LIV Golf League’s individual championship round, both shoring up the final player standings for the season and setting the stage for the team-focused postseason tournament.
Westfield officials hope the international event will draw attention to the city and the nearby Grand Park Sports Campus.
“It’s going to be a high-charge, exciting weekend through which they’ll determine their champions,” Westfield Mayor Scott Willis told IBJ. We want an international brand recognition for Grand Park, and this will certainly help with that, with all of the air time and the notoriety that comes with hosting. … It’s a huge economic windfall for the community.”
LIV Golf tour stops differ from more traditional events hosted by the PGA Tour, both in format and atmosphere. LIV plays 54 holes over a weekend (LIV is the Roman numeral for 54) compared with the PGA’s 72-hole events.
LIV events are known for being more raucous than PGA events. The tour uses the slogan “Golf, But Louder” to promote itself. Background music is piped in through speakers at the tees and greens while players compete, and fans are encouraged to create a festival atmosphere.
The event is expected to include a concert on Saturday night as well as interactive experiences and other fan activities.
The deal for LIV Indianapolis is a one-year contract between the tour and Zionsville-based Henke Development, which built the course in 2014.
LIV will have a single-year renewal option for 2026.
Henke Development is spending about $2 million to upgrade the Chatham Hills course and clubhouse as part of the agreement, but has told members they should not expect increases in their dues.
“The selection of the Club at Chatham Hills to host the prestigious LIV Golf Individual Championship, just weeks before the Ryder Cup is played, is an exciting opportunity to showcase this premier golf course and allow spectators to see golf’s elite players right here in Indiana,” Steve Henke, owner of Henke Development, said in written remarks. “We are lengthening the course, renovating the bunkers and making other improvements to enhance the member and spectator experiences, which will draw international attention to Westfield and central Indiana.”
The par-72 course is the final course designed by the late Pete Dye, a titan in the industry. In April, it hosted the Mid-American Conference Championships, and it hosted the NCAA Women’s Division I Golf regional tournament round in May 2023. In 2022, it was home to the 107th PGA Indiana Open.
Saudi Arabia-funded LIV, which launched in 2022, has been in talks with the PGA on a merger since 2023, but the deal has been delayed as the sides work through multiple hurdles including antitrust regulations and season-scheduling issues.
The tour’s event in Westfield is likely to feature several big names, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia and Brooks Koepka, all of whom have been part of this year’s player roster.
Willis said LIV is expected to receive at least $1.25 million over two years if the tour exercises its extension option. That would include about $500,000 from Westfield in cash and to pay for public safety and marketing; at least $250,000 in financial support and in-kind hospitality from the Hamilton County Sports Authority; and as much as $500,000 from the state’s sports and tourism bid fund, administered by the Indiana Sports Corp.
“Hamilton County, Indiana, champions innovative events like LIV Golf and is committed to hosting a premier experience for visitors, residents and competitors,” said Hamilton County Sports Authority Director Carl Daniels. “This event is an exciting opportunity for us to continue showcasing Hamilton County as a top tier destination for large-scale sporting events.”
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LIV GOLF=blood money
My exact thoughts!
PGA golf = Nike Chinese slave labor money
I’d welcome an explanation of the ROI on this $1.25M spend to entice LIV to stage an event at Chatham Hills.
Willis won. You didn’t. That’s the explanation. Millionaire golfers get richer so people with mortgages here can feel good about themselves, I guess.
Why do you guys hate rich people?
Since the PGA is bypassing central Indiana for the foreseeable future, this event gives golf fans the opportunity to see some of the world’s best golfers: Koepka, Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson, Bryson De Chambeau, etc right here in the Hoosier state. I am very excited that a professional golf event, concert, and great party will be coming to Indiana!