Greg Norman expresses regret over LIV Golf launch strategy
Greg Norman has revealed his regret at failing to arrange direct meetings with Rory McIlroy and other leading PGA Tour figures prior to launching LIV Golf in 2022, reports BritPanorama.
The 71-year-old Australian, who served as the breakaway league’s chief executive and commissioner until last year, became golf’s most divisive personality as fierce hostility developed between the rival tours.
“I just wish I’d sat down with Rory and a few others on the PGA Tour to explain to them what my mission was and what LIV mission was,” Norman told ‘Dan On Golf.’
The two-time major winner maintained that his intention was for LIV to work alongside the PGA Tour rather than against it, with plans for four co-sanctioned American events within a worldwide LIV calendar.
Norman now feels vindicated following comments from PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp, who acknowledged that the Saudi-backed circuit successfully highlighted flaws within golf’s traditional power structures. Rolapp’s admission that LIV prompted improvements benefiting both competitors and spectators drew an enthusiastic response from Norman, who remarked, “And when I look at social media and what Brian Rolapp just said recently, I went, ‘Hallelujah, hallelujah. Finally.’
He praised Rolapp for bringing an outsider’s perspective to professional golf, viewing the sport through the lens of fans, innovation, and player empowerment rather than established conventions. Norman pointed to Bryson DeChambeau as evidence of what LIV offered, noting the American golfer regained control of his intellectual property rights after joining the breakaway tour. “Look what we did for Bryson DeChambeau, right? He got his IP back. And look with him now on social media, he’s got a massive YouTube following,” said Norman.
Despite feeling a sense of vindication, LIV Golf now confronts an uncertain path forward. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which has financed the rebel circuit since its inception, is expected to cease its backing when the current season concludes.
Four years after the bitter conflict began, Norman acknowledged the doubts surrounding LIV’s ability to sustain itself without Saudi financial support. The responsibility for securing the league’s future now lies with Scott O’Neil, who succeeded Norman as the organisation’s leader. O’Neil faces the significant challenge of attracting substantial new investment to maintain LIV’s operations.
As the landscape of professional golf continues to evolve, the questions about the viability of rival circuits will undoubtedly shape discussions in the coming months. With legacy and innovation hanging in the balance, the sport may find itself at a crossroads where ambition meets practical realities.
