A number of a big-name PGA Tour stars opted to make the move to LIV Golf just over two years ago, and the league’s CEO Greg Norman has hit out at the treatment of those who switched.
Greg Norman has criticized the way in which individuals who opted to leave the PGA Tour and DP World Tour for LIV Golf were treated as ‘disgusting’, while staunchly supporting his playing roster.
Norman is the driving force behind the swift ascent of the LIV setup, which secured substantial financial support from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). The breakaway league made its debut in June 2022, featuring renowned golfers such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.
Shortly thereafter, a multitude of prominent figures joined the ranks, as Norman enlisted the talents of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Cameron Smith in the weeks following the league’s inaugural event at Centurion Golf Club.
The choice to switch to Saudi Arabia was a significant one for those involved, as they encountered a lot of criticism and even got suspended from the PGA Tour. Although two years have passed, the tension between the two tours has somewhat lessened, but that didn’t prevent Norman from criticizing the initial treatment of his players.
“I applaud the guys who made the move first,” he mentioned to Bloomberg. “They faced a lot of opposition. The negativity and animosity were truly appalling, to be frank. When you think about all that these guys have contributed to the sport of golf…
The way in which they have conducted themselves in the game of golf, as well as the organizations they have represented, has been quite displeasing. It is anticipated that the internal conflict within professional golf will ultimately be resolved following the PGA Tour’s announcement last June that they had reached a preliminary agreement with PIF.
This is projected to result in the Tour collaborating with their LIV competitors, thereby putting an end to the hostility between the two tours. However, as it currently stands, a definitive agreement has yet to be reached, with Jay Monahan and his colleagues still in negotiations with their Saudi counterparts, more than a year after the initial announcement.
Unfortunately, the peace agreement that was expected to be finalized by the end of 2023 did not meet the December 31 deadline set by those involved. There was then a new target for completion by April’s Masters, but this goal was also not achieved.
As we approach the U.S. Open this month, Fire Pit Collective revealed that a draft agreement had been reached between the PGA Tour and Saudi fund. However, the implications for the future of the game are still uncertain. Commissioner Monahan updated the players, acknowledging that there is still more work to be done.
Both parties acknowledge that there is still progress to be made in order to achieve a final agreement,” stated Monahan. “We are continuing our discussions with the aim of creating a unified vision for the future of professional golf that promotes competitiveness and offers players the finest global opportunities.”
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