Greg Norman says he wants to talk with Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to discuss how the superstar golfers have benefited from LIV Golf and the upheaval that the Saudi-backed tour has created in the sport.
Norman served as LIV Golf’s commissioner and CEO upon its 2021 inception before being replaced earlier this month by Scott O’Neil. McIlroy said Norman’s departure from the role is “probably a good move,” but Norman countered that he’d prefer to move on from his spat with McIlroy and Woods.
“I would love to sit down and talk to them about it, no question about it,” Norman told Australian Golf Digest in an interview published Tuesday. “Because I’m not a judgmental person and you only learn the facts and truth when you hear the other side of it.
“But, yes, would I like to sit down with them? Sure, absolutely. And you know what? I’d win the debate.”
LIV Golf disrupted the golf world when it first launched, luring top players away from the PGA Tour with the promise of huge paydays and causing a bitter divide in the sport — highlighted by the feud between Norman and McIlroy.
Norman called McIlroy “brainwashed by the PGA Tour” in 2022, while McIlroy blamed Norman in part for golf’s “civil war,” saying later that year that the two-time Open champion should “exit stage left” to allow the “adults” to patch up the sport’s schism.
Norman, however, insisted that LIV Golf ultimately has helped McIlroy and Woods, specifically citing the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program (PIP), which rewards players who drive engagement with sponsors and fans.
“I would love them to recognize the fact that — like Tiger with his PIP money — that only came because of LIV, right?” Norman told Australian Golf Digest. “So Tiger benefitted from that. Rory’s definitely benefitted from that.”
Norman acknowledged that, partly because of the bad blood with McIlroy and Woods, he has not watched the recently launched TGL’s opening events.
“I haven’t watched a bit of it because there’s a couple of players who’ve been very vocal against me,” Norman said. “So I’m not going to say anything positive or negative about it. All I can say is: The more golf gets exposure in different ways, the better off it is.”
Norman, who turns 70 next month, said he plans to “stay involved with LIV in some way,” although he is looking forward to the reduced workload.
O’Neil, who was announced as LIV Golf’s new CEO last week, praised Norman as being “instrumental” to the new tour’s success. Norman echoed those sentiments when reflecting on his time leading LIV.
“When I look back on my past three-and-a-half years — from my past 20 years — oh my gosh,” Norman said. “I really have changed the game of golf more than what people realize.”
