The world of professional golf has undergone a seismic shift in recent years with the emergence of LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed tour that has lured away some of the sport’s biggest names with promises of massive paydays. At the center of this controversy is Greg Norman, the Australian golf legend who served as LIV Golf’s CEO and commissioner from its inception in 2021 until stepping down earlier this month.
In a recent interview with Australian Golf Digest, Norman opened up about his time at the helm of LIV Golf and the tour’s disruptive impact on the established order of professional golf. The two-time Open champion did not mince words, particularly when it came to his ongoing feud with PGA Tour stars Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who have been among LIV Golf’s most vocal critics.
Norman Confident in LIV Golf Debate
When asked about the possibility of sitting down with McIlroy and Woods to discuss LIV Golf’s impact, Norman was unequivocal in his response. “I would love to sit down and talk to them about it, no question about it,” he said. “And you know what? I’d win the debate.”
Norman’s confidence stems from his belief that, despite the controversy and criticism surrounding LIV Golf, the upstart tour has ultimately benefited the sport as a whole, including its biggest stars. He specifically cited the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program (PIP), which rewards players who drive engagement with sponsors and fans, as evidence of LIV Golf’s influence.
“I would love them to recognize the fact that — like Tiger with his PIP money — that only came because of LIV, right?” Norman said. “So Tiger benefitted from that. Rory’s definitely benefitted from that.”
McIlroy and Woods Feud Lingers
The bad blood between Norman and the PGA Tour’s biggest stars has been well-documented. McIlroy has accused Norman of creating a “civil war” in golf and suggested that the Australian should “exit stage left” to allow the “adults” to resolve the sport’s divisions. For his part, Norman has called McIlroy “brainwashed by the PGA Tour.”
Despite stepping down as LIV Golf’s CEO, Norman acknowledged that the feud with McIlroy and Woods persists, to the point where he has not watched any of the recently launched TGL events in which the two stars are involved. “I haven’t watched a bit of it because there’s a couple of players who’ve been very vocal against me,” he admitted.
LIV Golf’s Legacy and Future
As he reflects on his tenure at LIV Golf, Norman remains convinced that the tour has had a transformative impact on the sport, even if it has come at the cost of creating deep divisions within the golfing world. “When I look back on my past three-and-a-half years — from my past 20 years — oh my gosh,” he said. “I really have changed the game of golf more than what people realize.”
While Norman plans to stay involved with LIV Golf in some capacity, he expressed confidence in his successor, Scott O’Neil, who was announced as the tour’s new CEO last week. O’Neil praised Norman as being “instrumental” to LIV Golf’s success, a sentiment that Norman echoed in the interview.
As the golf world continues to grapple with the fallout from LIV Golf’s disruptive emergence, it remains to be seen whether the divisions between the Saudi-backed tour and the PGA Tour can be bridged. For now, however, Greg Norman remains defiant in his belief that LIV Golf has changed the sport for the better, even as his feud with its biggest stars shows no signs of abating.
