But Gooch’s over estimation of what he is involved in is really a symptom of a broader issue with LIV Golf as it stands.

Almost everything about the venture comes across as faux. From the players’ dodging of questions about the source of the funding to Greg Norman debasing himself by pouring beer into the open mouth of a fan from a balcony, it all feels somewhat staged.

Almost cultish, in fact.

There can be no sensible business case made for the circuit and what it is spending and no legitimate long-term plan has been laid out beyond an increase in events to 14 next year.

And for all the talk of ‘growing the game’ and ‘golf as a force for good’, it remains difficult to find a point to the whole thing.

On the other hand, the game’s established Tours – for all their many, many faults – exist for one reason and one reason only: golf.

Yes, they pay lip service to the game many of us love and sell it out for profit at almost every opportunity. But without golf, there is simply no reason for a golf Tour’s being.

None of this is true of LIV Golf. Should the PIF lose interest in the project next week it seems quite likely they would simply shut it down.

As quickly as it started the whole venture could end because, in reality, LIV have no ‘skin in the game’. Not the game of golf, anyway.

"If you think the PGA Tour have done a bad job of being the biggest dog in the pack (they have), then how do you think LIV Golf will do should they assume that same position?" - Rod Morri.

The aspect of LIV that has been most enjoyable to see is the bloody nose they have given the PGA Tour and, to a lesser extent, the European Tour (or DP World Tour as it is now known).

The PGA Tour has long been a bully in the world golf scene and to see it get figuratively punched in the face has been a source of some satisfaction.

But if one’s interest is in golf and what’s best for the game in the longer term, then personal feelings need to be put aside and looking through that prism we can boil the biggest question facing the game down to this:

If you think the PGA Tour have done a bad job of being the biggest dog in the pack (they have), then how do you think LIV Golf will do should they assume that same position?

Like ‘Make America Great Again’ and ‘Get Brexit Done’, LIV’s purpose for being – ‘Golf, But Louder’ – is a punchy marketing slogan that says and delivers nothing.

What does it even mean? Louder than what? Louder than Rory and Reed going head-to-head at the Ryder Cup? Louder than the debacle around the 16th green at the Phoenix Open earlier this year?

It’s as dumb as the PGA Tour’s ‘Live Under Par’ (which, ironically, replaced ‘These Guys Are Good’, a slogan that made actual sense and meant something.)

Having watched some of the coverage of the Portland event at the weekend the play seemed as slow as usual, and the golf looked exactly like what we have come to expect week to week.

About the only point of difference that was obvious was the team event which, to this point, has been done poorly (though will likely improve).

There are more than a few in golf cheering for LIV to succeed and that’s understandable given the ill will the PGA Tour have engendered internationally over the past 30 years.

But the broader point might actually be this: PGA Tour can be fixed. I’m not confident the same is true of LIV Golf.