Greg Norman remains defiant: ‘The big names who want to join LIV would surprise you’
The league’s commissioner has reiterated his claims that a stream of high-profile players are queuing up to defect
The excitement surrounding LIV Golf has often been associated with speculation on who could be the next player to leave the PGA Tour and switch sides.
The likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Cameron Smith shocked golf fans by joining the Saudi-financed league in 2022.
LIV boss Greg Norman recruited the likes of Thomas Pieters, Brendan Steele, and Sebastian Munoz for the 2023 season – respectable names indeed – but perhaps not the superstars promised since the tour’s inception date.
After securing the signature of a number of major champions and former World No 1s, there is a suggestion LIV Golf and the PGA Tour are now set. If anyone wanted to leave, they surely would’ve by now?
Norman would beg to differ. Speaking to NCA Newswire, the two-time major champion talked up the prospect of enhancing the quality of LIV’s fields.
“It’s an ongoing process,” he said. “We’ve got a long list of players who want to come in. We just don’t have the ability today because players are under contract.
“But we’ll get to a position where there will be a relegation series and places will start opening up.
“It’s incredible the amount of players who want to come on board. It would surprise you how good those names are.”
The PGA Tour has prevented the majority of its best players from jumping ship, as it was once strongly rumoured the likes of Cameron Young and Hideki Matsuyama could’ve joined the rebel league.
LIV is set to host its own Q-school-type event at the end of the year, hoping to inject new blood into the roster while also ticking a box in pursuit of Official World Golf Ranking points.
One point of scrutiny aimed at LIV is the absence of world ranking points. Unless points can be earned at majors – Brooks Koepka being case and point- players will continue to tumble down the rankings and lose major exemptions.
It appears the players won’t be welcome back on the PGA Tour after they were suspended during LIV’s first event last June, and Norman largely blamed the US circuit for creating hostility in this way.
“The PGA Tour made it that way,” he added. “The PGA Tour opened up Pandora‘s box by threatening players with lifetime bans.
“Somebody came in and offered competition – they didn’t like it. But it’s not going to stay this way forever, because we’re not going anywhere.
“So somewhere down the line in some way, shape, or form, the two parties have got to come to the table.
“It’s product versus product and we’re proud of our product, and our product’s not going anywhere.”
LIV has reached the fourth – and arguably most anticipated – event of its second season as the players head to the Grange Golf Club in Adelaide for the long-awaited trip to Australia.
Will any more stars from the PGA Tour join LIV Golf? Tweet me and let me know!
Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
