LIV Golf's Greg Norman reveals his biggest PGA Tour frustration: "We've tried!"

Greg Norman says the ball is in the PGA Tour's court over potential peace talks as LIV Golf's inaugural season came to a close at Miami last weekend.

Ben Smith

31 Oct 2022

LIV Golf's Greg Norman reveals his biggest PGA Tour frustration: "We've tried!" — LIV Golf's Greg Norman reveals his biggest PGA Tour frustration: "We've…

Greg Norman was curiously silent during LIV Golf's $50m team championship in Miami, appearing not to give any interviews.

According to a BBC report, LIV Golf chief Atul Khosla said "there was nothing in that". But now The Great White Shark, 67, has broken his silence.

The topic at hand was once again his frustrations with the PGA Tour. According to Norman, what has disappointed him the most is that he claims there "was always room" in the sport for the two warring tours.

LIV Golf's Greg Norman reveals his biggest PGA Tour frustration:

Norman's critics do not believe him and his intentions with LIV Golf. Afterall, he doesn't hold the purse strings contrary to what he would have you believe.

Yet according to the two-time Open champion, the ball is still in their court. And he would welcome a discussion with the PGA Tour and their commissioner Jay Monahan, who has insisted that peace talks remain off the table.

Norman, reflecting on the inaugural season of LIV Golf, told the Global Golf Post:

"The players love it. The fans are loving it. Even the media are starting to grab hold of what the reality of it all is. It's way better than I anticipated."

Then he opened on his frustrations:

"That is what has disappointed me the most. There was always room - always, always, always room - and there is still room for them to sit down and understand what we have and what this is all about.

"I quite honestly think the ball is in their court; it's not in ours. We've tried. We've tried on numerous occasions, not just me personally but before I even came on board. We've had high up people reach out to try and explain it to them.

"We've extended an inclusion into the equity side of things where everybody would be the benefactors, not just the players, every institution would be a benefactor. LIV is definitely here to stay. We are not going anywhere."

In fairness to Norman, a previous leaked draft of a LIV Golf player contract appeared to suggest LIV's season schedule was to be designed around the majors and that the breakaway tour was to be the benefit of the current ecosystem.

Though that leaked contract also alleged that LIV pros were also to assist with the recruitment of potential players.

The contract, per the Wall Street Journal, read:

LIV golfers are expected to, "assist the league operator in seeking to persuade players to enter into multiyear player participation agreements with the league operator."

Norman's comments come after the chief executive of the R&A, Martin Slumbers, teased how The Open Championship will handle LIV players when it comes to 2023.

In a boost to the LIV "rebels", Slumbers said the governing body won't ban anyone because it would betray their 150-year tradition.

The Open would not be Open, he said.

However, he did open up on the decision not to invite Norman to the past champions' dinner in July at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.

As for Norman, he will now get to work on LIV Golf's 2023 season. The aforementioned Khosla has teased as many as four new signings before the end of the year.

LIV Golf will also rebrand to the LIV Golf League next year and will play 14 events globally with prize purses of $25m.

The schedule has not yet been announced.