Greg Norman breaks silence over PGA Tour-LIV deal with another outlandish claim
LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman has spoken to reporters for the first time since the PGA Tour announced a 'framework agreement' with the Saudi PIF.
Greg Norman claims PGA Tour players have a 'fear of missing out' as he spoke to reporters for the first time since LIV Golf entered into peace talks with their North American rival.
Norman, like the rest of the sporting world, was left stunned after the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF announced a vague 'framework agreement' on 6 June.
The Australian, 68, wasn't involved in the secret peace talks across the globe as the deal to work towards a deal was brokered.
And the controversial figure insists he wants no part in the talks going forward.
"I have my own personal points what that is, but I'm not involved with it," he said.
"I don't want to be involved with it. There's smarter people involved with that than I am. I just hope it does work. I really do. I've always been a believer of that. That’s why I wanted to speak to Jay Monahan a long time ago. I wanted to speak to him to explain the value of what our product is."
Norman is referring to the PGA Tour commissioner.
According to former PGA Tour policy board members, Monahan refused to sit down and talk with Golf Saudi representatives before LIV launched.
Instead, he went back to Ponta Vedre Beach and told officials: "We are at war."
What followed was Monahan banning those who decided to play in LIV events, multiple lawsuits and unprecedented disruption in the world of men's professional golf.
"They chose not to [take the meeting], said Norman. "So I'll leave it up them to figure it out. I'm truly having a great time doing this. The journey’s been worth it."
Norman has been accused of being bitter over his failure to create a world golf tour in the 90s that would've seen golfers play in lucrative events for guaranteed prize money.
It's clear the two-time Open champion thinks golfers are undervalued.
He continued: "That was our original premise to have guys share no different than what I had in 1993 with the world tour, right?"
"You could play 12 events and still go play on the PGA Tour, but over here you had a chance to make significant generational wealth over here. You could still play with the PGA Tour.
"Now remember guys, we had only one place to go, that was the PGA Tour, [which owned] our [media rights], they told us where we could play and couldn't play. We had no chance in the hell of really expanding our generational wealth.
"Now the guys on the PGA Tour are going to see the benefits of that. You're seeing changes in the Tour since LIV. So we've become a leader in helping everybody understand how to commercialize the game of golf."
So what's next for LIV?
"Our next couple of months are probably going to be my most exciting time," Norman said.
"We're going through this relegation process, trade process, building out the teams, getting the teams to a position that each captains wants to, negotiations, all that. All the stuff that really is going to energize it. With each year that goes by, this is really going to even more exciting for us.
"I'm definitely seeing a lot of FOMO [fear of missing out] out there. I know, personally I'm speaking to numerous players who want to come to LIV."
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