LIV Golf’s use of drones has occasionally annoyed players and disrupted live action. The worst example of this came on Thursday in the third event of the season.
During LIV Golf Hong Kong, on the second hole, Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia was preparing to hit a putt while a drone captured live footage.
But things went horribly wrong when the drone operator lost track of where the unmanned craft was going.
The drone then crashed hard into a tree as its tumble through the branches and leaves was broadcast to the public.
The crash was so loud that Garcia was forced to stop before his attempted putt as he was seen staring back at the wreck.
It’s not the first time that drones have influenced or interrupted the play of golfers.
The LIV Golf broadcast drone, just moments before crashing into a tree (branch seen right)
Sergio Garcia was forced to stop preparations for his putt as he looked back at the wreck
Back in 2024, Garcia’s fellow countryman Jon Rahm was infuriated by the buzz of a drone near him as he went to hit a drive at an event in Nashville.
‘Every tournament,’ the broadcast picked up Rahm exclaiming. ‘It’s f****** incredible. Right on my backswing. These f****** drones every time.’
It’s been a tough week for LIV golfers and aircraft after they were left stranded in Dubai amid the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Air travel was halted in the region amid joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Iran’s counter-strikes hit many countries and cities in the Middle East, including Dubai, leading to a reported eight golfers being stuck.
Lee Westwood, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Sam Horsfield, Anirban Lahiri, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk and Caleb Surratt were practicing in the UAE ahead of this week’s tour stop in Hong Kong, according to a social media account, Flushing It Golf.
Surratt, who has been traveling with his wife, contacted Golf Channel in a text message to say they are doing fine following Iranian attacks in the UAE over the weekend.
‘And then [the] world just came undone on Saturday,’ Surratt said. ‘It was terrifying. But since then, it’s been OK. It was bad Sunday and Monday here with missile interceptions, but all day today was fine.’
By Tuesday, he said, life in the UAE had returned to normal with ‘people walking around and such.’
