One year ago, it appeared Greg Norman was truly ready to retire, sell all his property in Palm Beach County and return to Australia, which was the plan before this project called LIV Golf came calling.
But in October at Doral, site of LIV’s final event of the 2023 season, Norman downplayed reports he was not part of the negotiations that led to a stunning announcement that LIV and the PGA Tour were looking to unite. A PGA Tour official even said at a Senate subcommittee hearing Norman would be “out of a job” if a deal is reached between the leagues.
“There’s so much white noise floating around out there that I actually paid zero attention to,” Norman said then.
Now, Norman, the Palm Beach Gardens resident, has dug in deeper.
And who can blame him.
Norman, 69, celebrated three years as LIV’s CEO and commissioner Friday. He marked the occasion with a social media message touting his and the league’s accomplishments and how the Saudi Arabia-financed league has played an important role in changing the sport’s landscape.
And with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan hinting again last month that a deal between the sides is not close, Norman is confident in saying LIV “is here to stay.”
LIV Golf overcomes ‘hostile headwinds, hurdles, untruths’
“Today I celebrate 3 incredible years as CEO and Commissioner of our LIV Golf League. We have come so far in such a short time period, managing all sorts of hostile headwinds, hurdles and untruths that I marvel at what we have accomplished to date,” Norman’s post started.
Norman continued by posting several of the league’s accomplishments, including:
“I have fought vigorously and publicly for global golf, player rights, caddies, for the fans and the stakeholders for the last 30+ years,” he added. “Today on my 3rd anniversary, I could not be prouder for finally achieving my lifelong vision.”
Norman’s vision for the league, owned by Saudi’s sovereign Public Investment Fund and headquartered in Palm Beach County, cannot be dismissed.
LIV’s roster includes several of the sport’s more popular, and polarizing, figures including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm.
But most importantly for those who remained loyal to the PGA Tour and wanted a bigger voice, LIV is responsible for increasing their earnings. Scottie Scheffler’s $25 million “bonus” for winning the FedEx Cup Sunday, the $100 million total distributed Sunday at the Tour Championship and the 13 events paying out $20 million or more, not including majors, would not have happened without the league feeling pressure from LIV Golf.
The Tour seeking private equity, resulting in an investment of up to $3 billion from Strategic Sports Group, was largely the result of the threat from LIV Golf.
Norman is right, LIV has made a major impact in the game. But it still does not have the credibility of the PGA Tour and it continues to fight image and branding issues.
LIV’s format — team golf with 12 franchises consisting of four players (including one captain) playing 14 54-hole events with no cut — has not resonated with most fans.
LIV Golf event topped in TV ratings by Pro Pickleball
Although its events have drawn well and those fans who attend are enthusiastic and engaged, its television ratings have been embarrassingly low. Last month, Koepka and Rahm, two of the biggest names in the sport who dueled on the final day of the 2023 Masters with Rahm prevailing, faced-off in sudden death at Greenbrier, LIV’s event in West Virginia.
LIV’s ratings that day were beaten out by Pro Pickleball on Fox – and by a wide margin.
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More people watched Ben Johns defeat Federico Staksrud than Koepka getting revenge on Rahm.
LIV is seeking a television partner that can expand viewership. But that was the goal two years ago, too.
“Today we are underway and in just 34 events our Teams continue to grow, proving there is room for competition in our sport,” Norman concluded. “LIV Golf belongs and LIV Golf is here to stay!”
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Greg Norman touts LIV’s accomplishments, says league is ‘here to stay’
