‘It’s too late!’ Norman tells LIV wannabes they missed their chance
It’s the question we’re all sick of hearing but equally can’t wait to find out the answer to. ‘Who will be next to join LIV Golf?’
Well, despite the countless rumours and endless controversy, it now appears the door may finally be closed for those wanting to join the breakaway circuit. Or so at least Greg Norman claims.
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With an abundance of stars now committed to LIV ahead of the rebel series becoming a 14-event league in 2023, Norman has insisted it’s “too late” for any more players wanting to cash in on his tour – although not before he adds one major name to his arsenal.
“There will be more player announcements before [the FedEx Cup Playoffs]”, Norman said. “But we’re set on the maximum amount of players.
“It’s interesting, we’re still getting calls from agents of top-40 players in the world wanting to join LIV but it’s too late now. What it tells me though, is what we’re doing is very appealing to the world’s best players.”
And how Norman looks to have lured in just that, the world’s best, as none other than Champion Golfer of the Year Cam Smith looks set to be joining LIV. Following his win at St Andrews, Smith was coy on his LIV links, but fellow Aussie Cam Percy told RSN the defection was as good as done.
“Unfortunately, yeah, they’re gone,” Percy said when asked about Smith and Marc Leishman switching to the breakaway series.
“The more and more you look into it, some people don’t care – some people have got a conscience and do care. They’re not the nicest people in the world. Do you just look past that and go, “oh well, I’m rich. I don’t really care”. It’s a tough one, it really is.”
The Telegraph later confirmed the deal is done, but in his press conference ahead of the FedEx St Jude Classic – the first of the PGA Tour’s end of season Playoffs, Smith said: “I have no comment to that. I’m here to play the FedExCup Playoffs, that’s been my focus for the last week and a half.
“If there’s something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV, it will come from Cameron Smith and not Cameron Percy.”
Percy also claimed in his radio interview that the PGA Tour has known for years that a rebel tour was to be formed.
“I had a long conversation with Adam Scott and he was very interesting to talk to about it. He said he met with [LIV] in 2017 and they were ready do all this. So, the [PGA] Tour has known for a long time that this stuff’s in the works.”
The plot thickens.
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George Cooper
A golf fanatic his entire life, George Cooper is NCG's man for all goings-on at the top level of the game, whether it's the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA or LIV Golf. He also looks after NCG's Twitter and Facebook accounts. George is a member of Woburn, but is not friends with Ian Poulter.
