LIV Golf Comes to Mexico City: What Does It Mean for Latin American Golf?

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Overview

When we heard LIV Golf was coming to Mexico City, it was a no-brainer—we had to go. The combination of world-class golf and the vibrant energy of one of the most exciting cities in the Americas was too good to miss.

This wasn’t LIV’s first foray into Latin America. In 2023, the tour made headlines with its stop at El Camaleón at Mayakoba Golf Course, marking its debut on Mexican soil.

This year, Club de Golf Chapultepec was chosen to be the host venue. It’s no stranger to big moments—this is the same course that hosted the WGC-Mexico Championship for several years. But our opinion is the main driver to pick this course is it’s urban high population location that ensured large crowds to match the PGA Tour.

Location

Mexico City is one of the largest and most dynamic cities in the world — and it feels like it the moment you arrive. With a metro population of over 22 million, it’s a place of extremes: ancient ruins next to modern skyscrapers, street tacos on one corner and fine dining on the next, chaos and calm living side by side.

Once the heart of the Aztec Empire (Tenochtitlán), today it pulses with energy from early morning markets to late-night mezcal bars. And yet, for all its scale and hustle, there are pockets of calm, order, and elegance.

We stayed in Polanco, one of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods. It’s known for its polished streets, high-end shopping, leafy parks, and an endless lineup of great restaurants and bars. It felt safe, walkable, and surprisingly quiet at night — even though it’s home to some of the city’s biggest business and diplomatic hubs. It was the perfect home base for us and a short Uber drive to the golf course.

Tickets & Fan Experience

One of the underrated perks of attending a LIV Golf event is that’s it’s incredibly affordable. Unlike many major golf tournaments where tickets can get steep quickly. A one day grounds pass for LIV Golf Mexico City started at $75 which includes your bus shuttle and gives you access to watch some of the best golfers in the world for the entire day.

For attendees who are looking for a more VIP experience, there are plenty of LIV Golf hospitality upgrades. We’d recommend Club 54 or Birdie Shack tickets that include seats that overlook multiple greens and tees, as well as inclusive drinks and food.

LIV is still working to establish a loyal fan base, and whether you’re a die-hard golf fan or just curious to check out the action, it’s a great opportunity to get up close to some of the biggest names in the game without breaking the bank.

As for getting to the course, the tournament ran a series of shuttle buses from the designated parking lots to the venue. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. Security and entry lines were fairly efficient compared to other big events. Especially considering Mexico City’s famously intense traffic — it all felt manageable. If you plan ahead, give yourself a little buffer time, and go with the flow, you’ll have no problem getting in and out.

Once inside the gates, the LIV Fan Village was one of the highlights of the event. LIV has clearly invested in creating a modern, inclusive spectator experience — and it showed. The area was family-friendly, with lots of seating, games for the kids, putting challenges, and shaded spots to take a break from the sun. Multiple big screens streamed the action live, so you never felt like you were missing anything, even if you weren’t walking the course.

The LIV Golf mobile app added to the experience, offering real-time updates, live scoring, team standings, and player pairings. It made it easy to follow the action in a format that’s a bit different from traditional golf events. What we liked most is it made it clear which players were playing which hole, making it easy to watch your favorite players.

No LIV event would be complete without the massive merch tent. Inside, you could find just about everything: team gear, player-branded apparel, hats, accessories, and even limited-edition items exclusive to the event. Whether you were repping 4Aces, Torque GC, or just looking for something sleek with the LIV logo, there was plenty to choose from.

On top of that, the food options were legit and better than most commercial events but nothing to write home about. The drinks options were also decent, but nothing unique or particularly interesting. We’d love to see LIV Golf excel and offer the best local food and craft beer.

I’m a beer snob. And finding a good IPA in Mexico can feel like a quest compared to Seattle. But they’re out there if you look hard enough.

Karsten Rowe, Co-Founder and Average Golfer

Based on our experience, we’d recommend keeping an eye out for these breweries Cerveza Minerva, Cervecería Principia, Cervecería de Colima, and Tulum Beer.

Hidden Gems

We were working remote from Mexico City for the week, so we were looking for a place to hit some balls and unwind after work. We found Bunker Indoor Golf — a modern, high-end indoor golf facility equipped with TrackMan simulators.

You can reserve one of their five top-notch bays online for around $25 USD an hour, which includes free TaylorMade rental clubs, friendly service, and a laid-back atmosphere. The space is clean, tech-savvy, and incredibly welcoming — the perfect spot for an after-work city golf session.

Bunker Indoor Golf is nestled within a larger vibrant, modern sports and entertainment hub in Mexico City. Alongside padel, soccer and other activities, the venue pulses with an energetic local scene. It regularly hosts live bands, rotating food trucks, and attracting a stylish crowd. It’s more than just a place to practice your swing; it’s a distinctly Mexican social hub where sport, music, and culture converge in a laid-back, modern setting. Highly recommend.

We also visited the Back 9 Golf Store in Polanco, which is probably the best high-end golf superstore we’ve ever been to. It’s a golf nerd’s dream, with everything from tour-level tech to stylish on-course fits. Prices reflect the premium selection, but with so much to explore, it’s hard to walk out without picking something up. If you’re into gear, this place is dangerously fun.

Top Players & Teams to Watch

LIV events always bring plenty of big names. Seeing Jon Rahm in person was a highlight—his presence on the course is hard to ignore. Calm, composed, and locked in. Legion XIII look like the team to beat.

Bryson DeChambeau leaned into the altitude and let it rip. Driving the ball over 410 yards. The Crushers GC continues to feel like a team that will be competing at the top of the leaderboard.

It was great to see Phil Mickelson in the flesh. Even if he’s not contending every week, his short game and creativity drew plenty of attention.

Another one of our favorites, Sergio Garcia reminded everyone how smooth his swing still is. He kept things steady while Fireballs GC played well in front of a supportive crowd that brought a lot of energy.

Abraham Ancer looked sharp all weekend and clearly fed off the local support. Carlos Ortiz was another standout—confident, focused, and solid throughout.

Cameron Smith was another crowd favorite — laid-back demeanor, sharp short game, and of course, the signature mullet. He played with quiet confidence and stayed steady throughout the round. It was great seeing his game up close, especially how effortless he makes it look around the green.

Karsten was happy to see some of the English contingent. With Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, and Tyrrell Hatton swinging and waving the flag. Hatton especially looked sharp, finishing top five and helping lead Legion XIII to a team victory.

The overall field keeps getting deeper, but seeing Rahm, Bryson, and Phil do their thing—especially in a city like this—made it a memorable weekend.

Final Thoughts

All in all, LIV Golf Mexico City was a blast. It had everything you’d want from a big-time golf event — world-class players, great energy, and a venue that delivered.

I’ll always love the PGA Tour, but there’s something undeniably fun about LIV’s approach. The shotgun start means nonstop action from the jump. The team format adds a new layer of drama and rooting interest. And the fan zone makes it way more accessible, especially for people who aren’t hardcore golf fans (yet).

Is it perfect? No. But that’s part of the charm — it still feels like a growing, evolving product. And in a city as massive and chaotic as Mexico City, LIV managed to pull off a well-run, exciting tournament that felt both global and local. It’s great for the game, especially in regions where golf hasn’t always been front and center.

We came for the golf, stayed for the energy, and left already talking about the next one.


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