Greg Norman has not been named regarding the merger of the PGA Tour, Saudi Public Funding Fund and DP World Tour because the announcement, however he’s below the impression that LIV Golf will stay intact.
The merger will create a brand new golf entity, which has rocked the game because it was revealed Tuesday morning.
And whereas PGA Tour Commissioners Jay Monahan and PFI’s Yasir Al-Rumayyan are named within the information launch, Norman shouldn’t be named, leaving many to marvel if his place as CEO of LIV Golf will finish quickly.
LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman greets the gang as he walks to the rostrum in the course of the trophy presentation at LIV Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Course April 23, 2023, in Adelaide, Australia. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Picture)
“The taps are actually large open for business sponsors, blue chip firms, TV networks,” Norman stated, in response to an individual on the decision who wished to stay nameless.
“LIV is and can proceed to be an impartial firm. Our enterprise mannequin shouldn’t be altering. We’re altering historical past, and we aren’t going wherever.”
GREG NORMAN ‘WON’T EXPECTED’ TO BE PART OF VENTURE AFTER LIV GOLF-PGA TOUR JOIN: REPORT
Sports activities Illustrated beforehand reported that Norman was “not anticipated to be a part of the enterprise going ahead.” Some imagine the proof got here with Al-Rumayyan admitting he contacted Norman in regards to the merger earlier than the announcement was made. Norman, like many others within the recreation, had no thought what was happening till the announcement.
Norman has been entrance and heart because the inception of LIV Golf, irritating the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, amongst others.
LIV CEO Greg Norman congratulates Harold Varner III of RangeGoats GC after Varner received the LIV Golf Invitational – DC at Trump Nationwide Golf Membership Could 28, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Rob Carr/Getty picture)
“I feel Greg ought to go,” McIlroy stated in November. “I feel he simply must get off the stage. He has nailed it, however I feel now’s the correct time to say, ‘Look, you’ve got labored this out, however nobody’s going to speak except there’s an grownup within the room who’s really- actually might attempt fixing the fence.'”
McIlroy additionally advised reporters forward of Wednesday’s RBC Canadian Open he believed LIV Golf would stop to exist after this merger.
MITCH MCCONNELL DON’T BELIEVE PGA TOUR MERGER WITH SAUDI-SUPPORTED LIV GOLF HAS ‘GOVERNMENT ATTENTION’
“One factor that I feel was fully misconstrued yesterday was all of the headlines was the PGA Tour merging with LIV,” he defined through Sky Sports activities Information. “LIV has nothing to do with this. The PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the Public Funding Fund are principally partnering to create a brand new firm. I feel that is the place I obtained a bit of pissed off as a result of every thing I wished to do and every thing I wished final yr from the event that is principally to guard the way forward for the PGA Tour and defend the aspirational nature of what the PGA Tour stands for.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman watches from his suite on the 18th inexperienced in the course of the LIV Golf Invitational – DC at Trump Nationwide Golf Membership Could 27, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (Rob Carr/Getty picture)
“I hope it really works, however I feel with the headline ‘be part of LIV’, it isn’t—in the event you take a look at the construction, this new firm is above all else. Jay is the CEO of that, so technically whoever it’s is concerned with LIV now would reply Jay. The PGA Tour has management of every thing.”
Woods added, “Greg has to go,” when requested if LIV Golf and the PGA Tour might coexist.
There was no official phrase on Norman’s standing with the brand new, yet-to-be-named entity.
Now, the LIV and the PGA Tour are intently aligned with the aim of “unifying the sport of golf, globally.”
Joe Morgan and Paulina Dedaj of Fox Information contributed to this report.