As LIV Golf's second season kicks off, Greg Norman spoke to GOLF.com about LIV's path forward, Masters tension, and Rory McIlroy's call for Norman to step down.
Say what you want about LIV, I was at the event in Portland at Pumpkin Ridge. All the golfers were having fun and enjoying themselves. What’s wrong with that? I got to fist bump Phil Mickelson along with Brooks and DJ while they were at the range and had a quick chat with Greg Norman, who was such a nice guy. I bet that would have never happened a PGA event. This years majors with both LIV and PGA golfers is a ratings blockbuster. I’m just stoked for golf as a general going forward.
People complaining bout the format and points reminds me of people who complained about the AFL vs NFL, ABA vs NBA, they all came together, and I think that’s what Norman’s plan is in the end.
.. you don’t even know wtf you’re talking about. It’s hilarious because in Saudi Arabia your opinion is worthless as a woman. They aren’t even playing the same golf. They have a different set of rules, and is a 3 day vs 4 day tournament. LIV took zero effort in partnering with the PGA and immediately threatened with legal actions. Screw Saudi Arabia and Greg Norman
The proof is in the pudding, PGA has upped its payout to players, started 17 tourneys that the top % WILL ATTEND... etc. THANK YOU PHIL AND GREG, all PGA players should stating.
no doubt that the PGA Tour pros benefitted from LIV - some of the PGA Tour players have acknowledged this, BUT that does not mean that LIV should be recognized as a legit regional tour. give them 1/50th of the points that PGA Tour pros get - seems fair given the shortened tourneys, the smaller field, and the much weaker field. and, adjust it over time - if they get enough good players (i.e. the LIV tour's collective OWR points per player increases), then increase the points awarded to reflect such. if they are as good as they think they are, they should rack-up points in the majors.
@@joshuathomas8010 Why not 75% as they play 54 hole events. Compare the level of talent of the tournament being held this weekend to the Honda classic and if your honest you have to admit that the LIV tour has the better players this weekend.
@@JJG86 LIV only has 14 tournaments this year. The PGA schedule has more than that between September and December. You're the 2nd person willing to compare the Honda Classic to the quality of players on LIV, but not mention of last week's Genisis Invitational, nor next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. We know why and that's OK because you're making our point about the difference in the quality of the field for us. Regardless of the quality of the fields....LIV can't get OWGR until it has 2 years of play and the face of LIV told his players they would get OWGR when he should have known they weren't eligible in a new league. Is he Dishonest or Ignorant? Here's a part in the drama Norman has created that some people are finding really funny. LIV joined the lawsuit against the PGA that 11 of their players started. Since then, 8 LIV players have backed out of that lawsuit....The courts are going to hear the arguments according to the laws of the United States and not Sharia. LIV is already fighting against the court's findings that PGA attorneys have the right to discovery by trying to quash subpoenas claiming sovereign immunity. In business it takes honesty and good faith to make good deals and Greg Norman is illustrating that LIV does not have the capacity for either.
It’s hilarious because you’re not even American, know anything about the economy, and assume Saudi oil is what pays PGA players based on what? Your feelings? 🤡
And what do you think Greg Norman is? PGA is so bad and greedy, what does Saudi Arabia do ? Besides dismember journalists in an embassy that talk poorly of the princess, they don’t allow anyone in their country to profit like PGA players. LIV paid that money to try and take away players, they would not continue those payouts if all the players joined. People like you are so dumb it’s actually hilarious.
Exactly, if you speak out for PGA they will allow you to do whatever you want now. He needs to thank Phil and Greg for getting his pay raise approved...
You have no clue what you are talking about. Don't you see this is Greg and his entourage worshipping the almighty dollar provided by a human rights abuse machine?
As long as the LIV format remains 54 holes, the points awarded will have to be compromised. 72 holes is a grueling test. The career of Greg Norman is a perfect example. If the PGA Tour was a 54 hole tour during the Greg Norman Era, Mr. Norman would have another 5 or 6 Major wins. That additional 18 holes makes a difference. He has 2 Majors rather than 7 or 8, which would putt him among the greatest of all time.
OK if that theory is good, how about 90 holes? Or more to a current method, DII NCAA champs, 3 days of stroke play and then stroke count match play for 2.5 more days. Its literally the Tour De France of golf....
@@wapitilizzard professional golf has a format that has been used for decades on decades. There’s a reason every professional golf tour uses this format. It’s the only way to keep players on the same playing field for ranking. LIV will never get OWGR points when they play a less difficult format. You can’t just up and change the rules to fit your wants and then complain when everyone doesn’t recognize your new rules as legitimate
@@dawsonblandmedia Sure you can, research the history of golf, playoff holes etc. its has changed over time, complaints were made and still it happened the way it is now. Remember, it was match play at the beginning...
True, he doesn't have a lot of Majors, but he does have 331 weeks as the #1 golfer in the world. Majors are hard, obviously. I like liv, but I don't think they will ever take any prestige away from the pga tour period. I love the Tour. All that being said Liv have 100% made the PGA better for the players. More money at the top and bottom. There's actually a league minimum for pga rookies/korn ferry grads 500k. You would be kidding yourself if you think that would have happened organically.
I haven't watched a LIV event yet. It just doesn't appeal to me as a format. But I think it will add more to golf than it takes from it. I can see it attracting more new (younger generation) golfers to the game than the traditional tours will. Hopefully in a year or so the dust will settle and the various parties will find an amicable way forward. P.S. @gregnorman I'd watch a LIV event if you participated as a player. I miss watching you play.
I’d be for another tour that wasn’t fully funded by a Government which dismembers American journalists in embassies, treats woman as property, and thinks they can just take without any form of diplomacy while having Greg Norman attack anyone who disagrees.
Man this aged shockingly well... Sheesh. Makes Rory look like a toddler pulling at the cloth of the grownup table, which hurts me to say becuase hes one of ky favorite golfers. Greg knew there were conversations happening waaaaay above Rorys pay grade and he just kept giving in rope and Jay was gonna be the one kick away the chair. Sad.
Joaquín Niemann is KING, love his approach to life and golf, never stepped foot on campus when offered a full ride, went pro and made bank, now going to LIV. Watch and learn....... the KING
When Joaquin talks about Liv players going to the majors and beating the PGA players, is he talking about himself or his Liv colleagues who have actually won majors.
This was some great content. I don’t care for liv golf whatsoever, but I’ve always had so much respect for Greg Norman. He’s always been such a gentleman through the good and the bad throughout his career.
Compromise and lay down the egos men!!! Let the "talent and goodwill" shine. Say what you may, either for or opposing Greg Norman...but I feel that Greg has the tenacity and fortitude to see this through. I hope that the backers of LIV will do the same. Be very supportive, above board with players and supporters and venues, always without fail...kindness and integrity. Welcome...all.
What a fantastic interview. Was great to hear Greg speak directly to fans and his perspective makes so much sense. LIV players absolutely deserve points. Also, look at the “Who are these guys?” playing in the Honda Classic this weekend vs the high level résumé’s in LIV this weekend. So many great players!
watched both PGA and LIV this weekend, LIV wins by far, commentary, great camera work on both good and bad shots, miched up etc. If it weren't for the playoff with Kirk and EC I would have watched less PGA. Funny how PGA commentator's are now trying to be funny, good luck keeping up with Faherty, he is world class and relative. Monopolies are good only for the owners of it, GO LIV GOLF!!!!!
Most of my golfing friends believe that if you offer to play a Ryder Cup match between the PGA TOUR and LIVGOLF teams, the PGA TOUR team will be afraid of this option and refuse to play with the LIVGOLF team under any pretext. The LIV team has as many stars as the PJGA TOUR team.
Sharia Law is the only law Saudi's follow. The only defense they have is a strategy to distract, misdirect and misinform using the current political tool of re defining words to change their meaning by creating a scenario to fit their argument.
What I hate the most is that this has diluted both leagues. Each week the pool of the best players is split. I don't know anyone who's watched a LIV event. To me, the LIV league with these team names that seem more fit for elementary school sports teams is a joke. No cuts. They're already paid so no pressure and pressure is what makes watching pro golf great. I understand people can obviously live there lives any way they want, but while LIV did take some great players, the others (i.e. Mickelson, Poulter, etc.) are over the hill and weren't credible threats to win anything of merit in the future. It's a boys club that no one watches where the players went to cash out. Simple as that.
What does he even mean? What “questions” is Norman talking about? I’ve tried to watch 3 LIV events. I don’t understand the Team dynamics, the format, I never know who is leading, and no drama. No chance LIV lasts. Oil money being flushed down the toilet.
@@joshua6207 you also think LIV pay would continue to be that high if all players joined the tour. 😂 LIV is operating at a $200M+ loss a year. Meanwhile look at the people of Saudi Arabia, poor while their Government pays Americans millions in a sport that 99.9% of their country has never played or even watched.
He used to be sponsored by Saudi companies too. Let's not forget that he has no issues with playing & winning in Dubai, UAE. UAE's human rights record is no better than Saudi Arabia
Liv play a different format of golf, how can they honestly make the argument their players deserve ranking point. Make it 4 rounds and the same format then you have a solid argument, until then, stop complaining
Events with Team formats with no cut is not comparable to the PGA and their course conditions and strength of field. They make those LIV courses super easy to create “action” that appeals to people who think shooting -20 means they are better. That Norman thinks that LIVs “strength of field” is as good as the PGA’s just proves he can’t be an honest person. He knows in his heart they don’t have that even though he insists. Like someone from XFL thinking they should be able to play in the Pro-bowl. And the world is rigged against them. Greg Norman knows how to personally extract money out of his investors and now he’s found the biggest whale in the world to do that too. Oil money.
As a practical matter, how could anyone make a strength of field calculation for ranking points if the field is determined by star power rather than merit? If you're famous enough, apparently your brother can compete too.
The amateur world ranking ranks players regardless of the format they play, college golf, 3 rounds, 4 rounds, match play, why can’t a similar system be used for pro golf…
Love LIV golf , you guys just keep fighting for what is right and fair , and that is golf is played by the people for the people , and it is the game itself that should be the beneficiary , not one tour , one organisation that just want to control the game . Greg Norman is the herro in this story not the villan. It is sad to see how ugly the PGA tour have been about this change .
… you don’t watch golf if you think there is only one tour. Europe and Asia both have their own. It’s sad to see people like you defend Saudi Arabian interests like they’re the good guys, as they pay millions out to wealthy players while none of their country plays golf, watches golf, but is funding this for the elites of their country while being largely poor. Saudi Arabia would monopolize and pay players the least amount if they could.
If they really wanted world ranking points they could conform to the necessary changes like 72 holes, a cut line, and a Q school giving access to rising players than it would be impossible for OWGR to not include them. Liv has along way go they over paid for most for most of there players most them are on the back 9 of there careers already some are even on the 18th hole they prob got 3 real players on the rise Cameron, Joaquin, and Mito and who the heck is CW network
PGA tour will now have some 54-hole tourneys and no-cut line as well. What do you have to say about that? Looks to me that LIV doesn't have to change a thing.
The LIV guys are always very classy, and are very calm and reasonable with their commentary. Compare that to the vitriol and anger coming from the PGA tour. It’s quite striking.
@@JJG86 yes I do. I was just pointing out how ridiculously biased you sound. Read your original post again and ask yourself if you don’t sound like Greg Norman’s girlfriend
There will always be a place for the PGA and there will always be a place for LIV Golf, period! In my humble opinion LIV Golf is exactly what the game of Golf needed. It brings the fun back into the game, which social players like myself, can relate to and that's good. Its Golf but Louder. Don't bring politics into Golf. Who cares, who the backers are, its the product that counts. LIV has brought me back into the game at 76yrs of age.
There's nothing official about world ranking points, if you choose to stop some players from earning them.. I hope someone comes along and replaces the current ranking system, as the the current system is now obsolete.
Greg Norman has insulted and made multiple defamatory comments about Rory and other players. He hasn’t been diplomatic in any way, and wants to cry when that same energy is returned. Only pleasure I’ll have is knowing LIV will lose their case and be nothing in 3 years.
Such a load of crap. Greg, independent contractors? On the PGA Tour, yes, at LIV no. If so then why do the players sign exclusive LIV contracts? Any business entity reserves the right to refuse business to anyone. The PGA Tour said go if you wish to play go play but don't come back because your not welcome. LIV players want the ability to go back and forth. The PGA Tour said no, but the LIV players want to play. Well so do I and another 10k players but we aren't afforded that opportunity. LIV wants OWGR points. Ok, part of the requirements are 72 holes and a cut. So that should be a disqualifier right away. If not then the Champions tour should get points. Greg wanted a system to coexist. Well when you talk Phil Mickelson into joining and he is actively recruiting players on the driving range at a PGA Tour event, what would you expect the tour to do? LIV has it coming and it won't be pretty. I think if they would have tried to do something offseason and tried to talk to the tour BEFORE they started recruiting and signing players it would have worked out a lot better. They have some fun innovative ideas, but are sadly failing on those ideas. The team names are horrible along with the logos. To have DJ mutually agree to part ways with Adidas to comply with the team uniform requirements is terrible. Why not work with them? Lots of questions and not nearly enough of answers.
Can’t complain about world ranking points when you completely change the model of your tour. Other tours mirrored the PGAs and that’s how they were able to get the points. Sorry bud.
@@TheMarathon26 O yes, according to the biased media....did they tell you that the LIV Golf app was the most downloaded sports app WORLDWIDE?? Yep, now the rest of the world can watch golf, without the need for expensive cable TV or Sky subscription. Those 'nasty' Saudi's eh...? Don't be so naive and believe the BS media.
Great stuff Greg. Norman is about the only one in pro golf doing anything to take the game to the world to build the game. International cricket did exactly the same to World Series cricket in the 1970s and it ended up revolutionising cricket.
This is like the AFC vs the NFC, with one of the conferences teams all being owned by an oppressive oil kingdom. I hope PGA players crush LIV players in the majors.
No business plan. No television deal. No excitement. No drama. LIV was dead on arrival. The LIV players are the only ones getting rich. But when LIV ends, and it will, they will have no place to go. Nonetheless, for some odd reason, I will always like Greg Norman.
Norman is so obtuse in this interview. He is talking like there is some ‘reveal’ down the road. There was no demand for LIV. They created a solution for a problem that never existed. PGA players get paid enormous amounts of money. They have more freedom than any other major sport. Compare the tour now from 30 years ago. There is no sport that takes better care of its athletes.
The top guys on Liv get huge contracts. Look at someone like peter uihlein taylor gooch and carlos ortiz who didn't sign big deals but they all played consistent and made some real money for it !
LIV won't do that. It needs its players participating in PGA affiliated tour events like the majors. You know what sponsors say when they hear the name of a LIV player who isn't already eligible for a major? "Who?"
@@LegolasFan69 When you boil the BS out of that argument, the PGA doesn't need LIV. But LIV needs the PGA. There is no other explanation for LIV and its players to be suing PGA,
Pretty simple , play by the rules and you get ranking points ! Tiger Woods again Tiger Woods waited 3 years to get his shoot out ranking points anyone at LIV in Tiger Woods world
LIV needs to avoid suppressive people and continue to flourish and prosper. It's interesting to me that it's all bickering amongst players and organisers and no-one has asked about whether the golf fans are happy to have a new brand of golf. Go the Stingers!
Wait, so will the LIV players play three or four rounds at The Masters? Will they protest the extra round if that's the case? If they're allowed to only play three does that mean they'd all make the cut just like their sell-out league? What if they find four rounds just too tiring and need carts, would that be okay? Would they need a day or two after the third round to take more time to go home and visit their families because four rounds just isn't fair? Would they demand payments even if missing the cut? And what does their owner think of them playing wherever and whenever they want? Oh, they can't? Hmmm.... Well, he DOES own them. "Golf, Only Louder"! I hope they get guys hollering "go in the hole" (two meanings there now!) during their swings...hey, they want it loud! Give it to them. Cheer and heckle them all the way around. Sorry boys, I respect tradition more than money. The sell-out league can play by and with themselves as far as I'm concerned. Could care less to ever watch any LIV game, but hey, that's just one guys opinion. All the best.
Will never get an ROI when you stroke checks from 50 to 200 million to a bunch a guys that cant win on the PGA Tour , with the exception of a few guys.. Exhibition golf doesnt deserve WR points..
The Honda is loaded this week, huh? Lol. I’d take DJ, Cam, Brooks (that’s painful), Joaquin, Bryson, Phil, Louis as players who Can win on Tour. Exhibition? I get what you’re saying but they’re pros. They want to go as low as possible every time they tee it up.
@@isitgettinheavy I said a few of them can win. Of course the honda has a weak field, but when you have an event just about every week of the year, you're gonna get weak events. The next 2 weeks are gonna be incredible ( basically majors, with the strength of field ) Where as LIV had 20 guys every event last year that i've never heard of, and i follow golf.
Greg, this is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. You can't expect to give them hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed money and expect them to care about playing good golf.
That's about the dumbest thing I've heard. In your way of thinking there would be no very wealthy in the world people because after people made their first 100 million or so they'd just give up on trying to grow their business and adding additional wealth. By your statement you must be one lazy bastard waiting for a big payday so you can sit on your ass unlike people who are driven to excel.
I was believing Greg until he said If one of HIS Liv golfers wins the Masters he would love to see it "for the player, not for Liv golf"? Really! BTW, you don't need to know 100% of something to be able to comment on it. Greg's been all about himself and my brand, jets, money, etc. yada, yada yada.........."FORE"🤔💰
Rory and Tiger are right about Norman needing to go because he can't be honest about OWGR. Their rules state clearly the criteria to qualify for rankings requires 2 years for OWGR to be able to assess players. Until LIV can be credible and accountable in its arguments PGA shouldn't sit down with them to discuss anything. LIV has CW, let that network speak for them.
@@LegolasFan69 Greg Norman is confident that LIV is here to stay. When it's been around long enough to build its own legacy it will have processes to protect what it built too. Until then it's just alternative to what fans have been exposed to and come to expect from professionals over the last 160+ years. LIV is trusting The CW to put them on the map. It's going to have some fans so it's too soon to tell if Norman and Mickelson can pull it off.
Somehow it’s lost on Greg Norman what the real beef with LIV is all about. It’s the money from the Saudis that makes the LIV tour illegitimate in the eyes of a large number of fans. Greg Norman’s ‘investor’ is not there to promote and strengthen the game of golf. That’s a joke. His investor is there to legitimize his country’s human rights abuses. The stuff that Norman attributes to, “well, we all make mistakes.” He’s a fraud and so is his tour. If LIV is such a great idea, why is it that the only investor he could get was a government backer and most sponsors and networks will have nothing to do with him? I’m all for competition. Let the LIV players that qualify for the Masters, play in the Masters, or any other major that they qualify for. But they can’t have their cake and eat it too when it comes to playing PGA events. Let the LIV players live with their decision to grab the money and not be a part of the legacy of golf. They have every right to do that.
Couldn't agree with you more. The Saudis are trying to buy redemption. I have lost all respect for many here, most notably Norman and Mickelson. I have no clue what is going on in Mickelson's head but he has lost his way. Too many late night romps in Vegas, gambling and showgirls maybe.
The victim mentality from Greg is hilarious. Complains about vitriol and how people are being mean, after waging war on and trying to destroy the PGA Tour. Greg wouldn't be where he is today without the Tour.
Greg isn’t the one popping shots at players and others involved. Remember he gave a chance to the PGA tour to collaborate with LIV. Mr. Monahan thought Greg was bluffing and when it got called that’s when this fictitious “war” started
@@natedawg316 Greg has been popping shots at Monahan from the start and telling Rory to close his mouth. Rory and others aren’t going out of their way to talk bad about LIV. They are asked in press conferences about LIV and they respond. Just as Greg did in this video. Greg didn’t want to collaborate because he’s a nice guy, he wanted to collaborate to keep his product afloat when it was struggling to get off the ground
@@dawsonblandmedia lol you live in a fantasy land. The PGA, golf channel, and golf media have been bashing LIV non stop for the last year. They’re just pissed off because for the first time in history there’s a tour that can actually challenge them.
@@UncleRicoOSU not a chance. Liv will be dead soon enough. Saudi's will soon realize, even with all the money they're throwing at it, they have nothing without fans/ratings
Norman is such a buffoon. Rory should watch what he says?! Coming from the guy who said “we all make mistakes “ In defending the Saudis murder of Khashoggi
Very sad the PGA management make the bullets for Rory and Tiger to fire. They should be rejoicing the fact PGA players are now better paid thanks to LIV. The PGA tour as a monopoly has never been in the interests of the players.
@@latitudetwentyfive The PGA doesn’t tell its players what to say. You think Tiger or Rory are going to say anything they don’t believe? Now LIV has literally given scripts to its players to say to reporters. You can see a copy of this script online.
what a liar...1. the problem is not so much the alt tour is the fact that it is blood money 2. none of these players made the jump to "make the game better" they did it because "it's the best for my family" aka MONEY...I could go on and on
I love how he’s saying it’s sad the way the players have been treated just don’t ask Greg about how the people funding liv treat people because that’s different
And the United States has killed 400,000 innocent civilians in the last 20 years and continues to do billions of dollars of business with Saudi Arabia. But let’s get mad at a bunch of golfers 🙄
LOL WGR and WAGR ranking is rigged anyway, so why not just start a new ranking system, I will get the ball rolling, UGR and UAGR, Universe Golf Ranking...... just saying, its one step above World...... LIV golf is much more enjoyable to watch, commercials are almost non existent and it makes for feeling like your there as opposed to having to buy Viagra every 5-minutes
I beg to differ. I wanted to like the format as a fan but IMO the 'all at once' finish robs the tournament of nearly all of it's drama and the team thing seems really contrived and artificial.
Liv golf is the equivalent to what the WHA did in hockey 🏒, they overpay ,disrupted the game and ultimately flew up there own azz and will disappear, while making the pga tour in a better more dominant place .
Hilarious Greg says he hates the vitriol and hatred going on. He created it. I stand with Tiger and Rory. Yeah the PGA Tour may not be perfect and it's obvious that they could do more for the players in terms of money due to the fact that they have now bolstered a lot of the purses for tournaments because of LIV. I just happen to stand with the tradition of the game in terms of stroke play with 4 rounds. To listen to some of these guys bitch and moan about the requirements of the PGA Tour and having to deal with injuries because of having to play too much, give me a break. They make a living playing a game. How many people would trade places with them in a heartbeat? How much would they bitch and moan if they had to work a "normal" job like most people, 8, 9, 10 or even 12 hours a day for peanuts compared to what they are playing for. So to all the guys who jumped to the clown show format of LIV, have fun with it. I for one have no interest in watching any of their events and have no plans to do so. In my opinion this has done nothing but fracture the golf world and it really sucks for fantasy golf.
That’s what’s hilarious. None of these people realize those contracts were to buy interest into their tour, it is not sustainable. More players that join, the less those contracts will be.
For many decades PGA Golf has had the monopoly on Golf. They want to keep that monopoly. It’s that simple. For instance if Ford was the only car company in America, don’t you think they would fight to keep any other Car Manufacturer out of their territory ? This is the same. I see all the big shot supposed gentlemen that run the PGA tour as very rich nose in the air stuck ups that think their shit don’t stink. Reminds me of watching the movie Trading Places. Remember the arrogance of “The Duke Brothers” ? PGA tour officials remind me of them.
