Golf media ‘star’ Larry Canning recounts his recent adventures at a big golf event in Adelaide. He was accompanied by his wife Sandra and a very stylish rental company ute with a flashing orange light.
By Larry Canning
My LIV Golf dairy 2025
Airport check-in is always fun isn’t it? Sandra and I have an “unwritten agreement”, (only because she wouldn’t sign it), that she takes the centre seat, and I go either side.
I’m 6 feet 4 and 100 kilos and that makes it hard to separate my bulk from the unfortunate passenger next-door. When this arrangement began, I just happened to be allocated a series of window seats which as you can imagine, put some strain on our marriage. I now pay the extra to choose an aisle. It hasn’t led to us trying for a fourth child yet but we are talking way more and even sharing the odd giggle.
An hour and a half later and I’m picking up the hire car and it must be said, with some anticipation. Europcar have joined forces with PGA of Australia which means it’s now my first choice of hire car and I’ve taken a “tight arse punt” and chosen a mystery car.
Could it be something so small I will need lower the front seats and sit in the back or maybe the latest electric luxury model from Donald Trump’s new bestie??
“No, it’s a ute, Mr Canning”. Ok, sounds like it has plenty of room then, no problem I thought. Some of my mates have utes and they look really cool. Plenty of space, high off the ground and maybe in a sporty, sexy black?
Aaam, nah. This was a ute in its purist form. White with safety fluro stripes, a tray on the back and bull bars on the front, first aid kit and fire extinguisher, plus a flashing orange light on the roof in case Sandra needed to do some night road work.
We were running a little late because I stopped twice to fix potholes on the road so it was straight to the Grange. A very polite girl at the golf club entrance said – “Hi, straight through and turn left for me”. The Media Centre entrance was straight through and to the right! A clear case of Ute discrimination.
When you are veterans of the past two Adelaide LIV Golf events the first thing you prepare for is the music and sure enough, we strolled in to one of my favourite bands, Limp Sand Wedge!
The second thing you notice at LIV Adelaide is the unbelievable infrastructure which was even bigger than last year! We bedded down in the media centre and then, at the risk of feeling a little entitled, went straight to the restaurant area and enjoyed some scrumptious slow cooked wagyu beef in a tomato and basil-based sauce with chat potatoes.
Even though the music is playing it feels like the calm before the storm and my first radio report is suggesting just that. When asked who is going to win, I went for rank outsiders, Jon Rahm or Bryson DeChambeau and “The Leish” as my smokey.
Thursday and it’s a cool 23 degrees for the Pro-Am. “Hi, straight through and turn left for me”. Now I’m on Praccy Range watching DeChambeau, Johnson, Keopka, Rahm, Garcia etc. You just don’t get to see that many of the world’s best players here in Australia. It was like walking through Bunnings with your dad’s credit card.
Sandy rings me and suggests I should get my backside back into the media centre for a significant announcement.
Ripper GC team, including their GM Nick Adams are all there with Golf Australia CEO, James Sutherland. Just having James Sutherland sitting up there was something of an announcement in itself. This would not have happened 2 years ago! Ripper GC is to be the new Principle Partner of the MyGolf Junior (Primary school), program. “The Little Rippers!”
Round one “Hi, straight through and turn left for me”,
Light winds but a hard and fast Grange layout with flag placements harder to find than Sasquatch see the scores pretty tame by modern standards. Sam Horsefield from the Majestics leads with 6 under par 65. Defending champs Ripper GC struggle with a combined 3 over for the day, 11 shots back of Torque GC leaving another Aussie star – Dom Dolla to lift the local tempo for the fans as Sandy and I slipped out backstage to our low dolla motel.
Round two “Hi, straight through and turn left for me,”
But this time readers… I turned the ute to the right. It could have been the Bull Bar’s or maybe the flashing orange light, but I was now feeling empowered in the ute. I nearly used the CB Radio tell my tradie colleagues, but Sandra reminded me the girl on the gate had a Walkie Talkie.
Another nice calm day and Ripper GC take advantage with 4 under led by Leish and Herbie with 69 a piece. The lads now sit just… aamm… 9 back of Majestics. Three players tied for the lead at 9 under, Horsefield, Ancer and Ortiz.
Its Sunday, before she can say anything, I jump in with – “Hi, straight through and to the left for you?”, as I smugly turn right… when out of vision of course.
The wind is definitely up a bit and the greens running at roughly 100 kph on the stimp-metre. I have done the math and broken the news on X, the Aussie’s still have a chance.
Cam Smith and Matt Jones are drawn together and they’re hitting off the 9th hole first. (9 and 10 are both par fives). My master plan is for one of the boys to start birdie, eagle and the other – birdie, birdie. At the same time the leaders, who are playing two very tough starting holes, throw in a bogey or two. Nine shots back, now just a couple. Plus 45,000 fans spraying the team with plastic cups full of momentum!
It was bloody brilliant!!
Well, on paper anyway. Cam did his bit with birdie, eagle start but his team mates didn’t get my memo. That reminds me, the Media Centre lunch with chicken breast in mushroom sauce was delightful.
The closest we came to a local winner was two Australian Open Champions in Abraham Ancer and Joaquin Niemann, battling it out for individual honours.
Another homegrown champion again was left to entertain the fans and according to our son and our daughter in law, “Fisher”, hooked pretty well everyone who was there!
For Sandy and me it was back to the Oyster Bar in Glenelg in preparation for the next next step up in our marriage from “The odd giggle”.
Seriously Readers, LIV Golf is truly something to behold and maybe should be on your bucket list. And while your there, talk to my friends at EuropCar and grab an empowering ute!!…. with an orange light.
