Greg Norman explains what "bothers me most" about LIV Golf's battle with PGA Tour

Former LIV Golf chairman Greg Norman says he was never trying to destroy the PGA Tour. 

Norman played a key role in the creation of the breakaway and was named as the league's first chief executive and commissioner in late 2021. 

The former Open champion persuaded several PGA Tour players and major winners that there was a career beyond the establishment and urged them to take a leap of faith. 

Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed were among the first wave of recruits. 

There is absolutely no denying that the disruption in the elite men's game peaked with the Australian at the helm. 

Norman traded insults with Rory McIlroy and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. 

He called the Northern Irishman "brainwashed" and accused Monahan of attempting to bully and intimidate golfers who were thinking of leaving the PGA Tour. 

McIlroy chirped back and, at one stage, the Ulsterman and Tiger Woods called for Norman to "exit stage left" so as to try and speed up peace talks between the tours.  

Norman did not walk but was replaced at the turn of the year by Scott O'Neil when his four-year contract expired. 

When he did so, Norman said he accomplished his mission. 

It has long been suggested that Norman was angry and bitter over his failed attempt to create a global professional tour in his heyday. 

Norman denied this was the case and opened up on the hostilities during a conversation with Mark Bouris' Straight Talk.

He said he had absolutely no regrets over what transpired. 

"The thing that bothers me the most about it is the perception that I was trying to destroy the PGA Tour. That is the total opposite," Norman said. 

"We were trying to work within the ecosystem. Competition is a wonderful thing. LIV was entertainment, concerts, different hospitality, music, all that stuff, plus teams.

"So the ecosystem was crying out for that, to have a counterbalance, and we proved it right. 

"But the general public or perception from the media who probably had to take the tack that they had to take for certain reasons, created this angst out there in the world of golf."

"Look what's happened"

Norman acknowledged that he is a "disruptor" that "sees weakness". 

But he is absolutely of the belief that the PGA Tour has benefitted from LIV Golf's emergence.

"You think if Jack Nicklaus had his own IP, when he first came out there and Arnold Palmer, they'd be billionaires," added Norman. 

"And yet, here today, the institutions are making a lot of money. Now, with LIV, I gave the players that opportunity, and look what's happened to the PGA Tour.

"Without LIV, well, what LIV did was it brought private equity into our sport. First time ever in 54 years. Outside money got invested in.

"That created an ROI, an opportunity to invest in production, marketing, hospitality, entertainment, fandom, all these new places popped up, innovation, because of the investment dollars that came into LIV, that's where we put it, right? We had to grow."