Greg Norman, CEO of LIV Golf, has responded to recent comments from PGA Tour stalwarts Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
According to a report in todays-golfer.com, Norman says: “I pay zero attention to McIlroy and Woods, right?”
He went on to say that the two “have their agenda for whatever reason. They’re saying whatever they want to say. It has no bearing or effect on me. I’m going to be with LIV for a long, long period of time.”
Norman’s comments came a few days after Woods held a news conference ahead of the event he’s hosting this week in the Bahamas, the Hero World Challenge.
Woods was asked several questions about Norman and LIV Golf and he had pointed responses.
“I think (Greg Norman) has to go, first of all,” he said, adding “and then obviously the litigation against us and then our countersuit against them. Those would then have to be at a stay as well, then we can talk, we can all talk freely. Right now as it is, not right now, not with their leadership, not with Greg there and his animosity towards the tour itself. I don’t see that happening,” said Woods of LIV and the PGA Tour coexisting.
“But why would you change anything if you’ve got a lawsuit against you? They sued us first.”
In late October, McIlroy said of Norman:
“He has basically found people to fund his vendetta against the PGA Tour. I think he hides behind ‘force for good’ and all that stuff … this has been his dream for 30 years, and he has finally found people who can fund that dream.”
In the Today’s Golfer story, Norman again leaned into the allegations of a monopoly by the PGA Tour.
“When the monopolist’s territory is getting threatened, they’re going to rear their ugly head up and do what they do. But from my whole perspective, I’ve always taken the high road this year. I will continue to take the high road because I believe in our business model. I believe in our people, I believe in the players’ independent rights, and we’ve already seen a dramatic shift in our audience.”
Norman also denied reports that he was on the verge of being replaced by the CEO of Taco Bell, Mark King, who was previously the CEO at TaylorMade.
“I’ve got the support of our investors,” he said. “Our ambitions going forward I can tell you are pretty significant and elevated from where we are in 2022.”
The LIV Golf League’s 2023 schedule is starting to take shape as four international venues have been revealed.
“I am not going anywhere,” he said. “I don’t care what anybody says. I’m not going anywhere. I am so proud of the position I am in and maybe, maybe, it’s my leadership that has them scared.”
Norman continued: “No matter where I go in the world, nobody – not one person – has said what I’m doing is stupid or wrong.”