Greg Norman to "childish" Rory and Tiger: "I know what you're trying to do!"

Greg Norman says the door remains open for Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas to join LIV Golf in the future despite past comments.

Ben Smith's picture
Fri, 16 Dec 2022
Greg Norman to "childish" Rory and Tiger: "I know what you're trying to do!"

LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman says the door remains open for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to join the breakaway tour in the future despite claiming the duo are trying to "bait" him. 

The Great White Shark, 67, has given an interview to bunkered's Michael McEwan, where the controversial Australian said Woods, 46, and McIlroy, 33, have "no idea what they're talking about". 

McIlroy turned heads when he urged Norman to "exit stage left" before the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and then Woods echoed his sentiments by suggesting there was an opportunity for LIV and the PGA to navigate a path forward if the litigation on both sides is stayed. 

Related: Attorney hails major legal victory for LIV Golf supporters

LIV Golf are embroiled in an antitrust lawsuit with their American counterparts and the case won't be heard until January 2024 at the very earliest.

The PGA Tour have countersued, claiming the Saudi-backed tour interfered with players' contracts. 

Over the course of the last week there have been two huge revelations. The first was a report by the New York Times that revealed LIV's audacious plans right from the very beginning. 

The second was LIV's attorneys accusing the PGA Tour of hiring a PR firm to spread anti-Saudi sentiment and attempting to conceal it.

In his latest comments, Norman claims despite what has been said in 2022, the door will always be open for the likes of McIlroy, Woods and the Justin Thomas if they want to join LIV in the future. 

Norman also said he sat down personally with Thomas to talk about LIV Golf. 

He told bunkered:

"I mean, we talked to JT. Me and another member of my team, we sat down with him and gave him the full presentation and, if you notice, he's not said much negative about what we’re doing, presumably because he knows it and understands it." 

It has also been reported that LIV bosses were thinking of moving Norman upstairs and replacing him with a less divisive front man. 

Former TaylorMade chief executive Mark King was being touted as a replacement

Norman continued:

"Rory and Tiger have no idea what they're talking about. None whatsoever. I have got the full support from my chairman. One hundred per cent. One thousand per cent. There has never been one thing to suggest otherwise.
"But I know what they're trying to do. They're trying to bait me to draw me into a public back and forth with them and I'm not going to go down that childish path. 
"I'm totally confident, totally proud and totally committed to this job and that is building out LIV Golf in perpetuity and giving players and fans another kind of golf to enjoy.
"And what you're already seeing is that LIV is a leader. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour, they're followers.  

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Norman then accused the PGA Tour of copying LIV. 

He said: 

"LIV has already brought more value to the game by making reserve money, that had been sitting to one side, and finally getting it put into play. If it wasn't for LIV, the PGA Tour would not have done what they've done. They've basically copied our homework." 

Next page: Jason Day open to LIV move in 12 months