BEDMINSTER, N.J. — At first glance, a LIV Golf event looks like a professional golf tournament.

The event at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., which began on Friday, has a number of the top players in the world playing.

The field features 11 major champions, five of whom have won at least one green jacket as a Masters champion. Thirteen of them have played in at least one Ryder Cup. Four of them once held the No. 1 ranking in the world.

That’s more than representative. An argument, in fact, can be made that this field is more compelling than the one competing in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, the PGA Tour event being staged this week in Detroit (in case anyone noticed).

The Trump National course is a legitimate top-class track. It’s challenging and scenic. There are grandstands, even though the crowds are sparse, and there are food and beverage vendors.

A winner will be crowned on Sunday and will receive a trophy and a check.

So, there are significant parts to a LIV Golf event that feel real.

Yet so much of it feels fake.

After all, what does this all mean?

The 48 participants already have received guaranteed money for merely showing up at the first tee (some of them paid sums that could feed a small nation lobster and New York strip steaks for a few years), so there’s no consequence as to where they finish by tournament’s end.

There are no world ranking points at stake in LIV events, at least not yet. The tour has applied for them, but not holding its breath. So, whatever happens by the time the final putt drops in the farmland of Central Jersey late Sunday afternoon will mean nothing as it pertains to any of these players helping themselves qualify for any of the major championships.

The tournaments are 54-hole events instead of the usual 72 on all of the other professional (non-senior) tours, with 48 players instead of the usual 156 or 144.

There’s a shotgun start for each round. There’s music blaring from speakers at the grandstands and tee boxes. It’s a weird feeling.

It feels fake.

Does it really matter that Henrik Stenson, the recently fired Ryder Cup captain playing in his first LIV event, and Patrick Reed each shot a 7-under 64 to share a two-shot lead after the opening round Friday?

Does anyone really care?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of Phachara Khongwatmai, who’s in second place, standing at 5-under. No disrespect intended (to you or Khongwatmai), but you’ve never heard of Khongwatmai.

Does it matter that Phil Mickelson, very much the face of LIV Golf (other than CEO and commissioner Greg Norman), continues to struggle? He finished Friday 4-over 75, which makes him a cumulative 24-over in his seven LIV rounds.

Mickelson, who ended his day with a dubious three-putt on his final hole, is being paid a reported $200 million guaranteed to play in the Saudi-backed tour. So, where exactly is the motivation to secure the additional $4 million paid to the winner?

Are you fired up that Brooks Koepka (3-under 68) edged out his younger brother, Chase (2-under 69), by one shot?

Are you immersed and riveted by the LIV Golf team competition, with Team 4 Aces (featuring Reed, Dustin Johnson, Pat Perez and Talor Gooch) entering the second round Saturday at 11-under with a slim one-shot lead over Team Majesticks (featuring Stenson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield)?

Are you concerned about Team Niblick, Team Cleeks and Team Punch wallowing in last place together 10 shots out of the lead?

Didn’t think so.

Sure, we’re being cynical about all of this, but how can you not be with the circus atmosphere featuring former President Donald Trump (who owns the golf course) parading around the premises like a peacock and music blaring everywhere while the players play?

In fairness, there is entertainment value to LIV Golf. It’s a chance to see some of the game’s biggest names up close. The music is good.

Maybe this thing will stick. Maybe someday what takes place on the golf course during LIV events will actually matter and the results will have some consequence.

More top players are believed poised to take the free Saudi money as soon as the PGA Tour’s playoff season is over and the Presidents Cup concludes in the fall. There are many legal dominoes yet to fall, beginning with the state of the PGA Tour suspensions of its players who are playing LIV Golf and the potential collusion over handing over world ranking points to LIV.

Maybe we’ll get to a point at which this will matter and it won’t feel so contrived, so fake.

That time just doesn’t seem like it’s coming anytime soon.