Hatred was disgusting:’ Greg Norman sounds off on LIV critics in new interview

In a recent interview with Bloomberg News, Greg Norman, CEO of LIV Golf, provided insights into the current state and future direction of LIV Golf while reflecting on its controversial beginnings and the resistance it faced within the golfing community.

Norman recounted the challenging early days of LIV Golf, attributing much of the opposition to the existing dominance of the PGA Tour. “There was a lot of headwinds in the beginning because the monopolists really controlled the game on a global basis,” he stated. He emphasized that LIV Golf introduced a new business model that could coexist within the established golfing ecosystem, despite the initial backlash.

Interestingly, Norman claimed that the criticism was largely absent in face-to-face encounters. “Nowhere in my entire journey in the last three years since I’ve been CEO and commissioner [of LIV Golf] has someone come up to me and said, ‘What you are doing is wrong.’ And I think that’s a powerful enough testament of saying that our product is our product and our product is received with open arms by many,” he said.

Norman did not shy away from addressing the PGA Tour directly, suggesting that their attempts to hinder LIV Golf were unfounded. “By a few who want to stop us for all the wrong reasons, they haven’t been able to sustain their position in the game of golf. What we have done brilliantly is injected more capital into the game of golf. Golf is finally looked on as an asset class,” he remarked.

The LIV Golf CEO also expressed strong disapproval of the harsh criticism faced by early supporters of the league. He described the treatment of these players as “disgusting,” noting the considerable contributions they had made to the sport. “I compliment the boys who came on, the first movers. They came on with a massive amount of headwinds,” Norman said. “The vitriol and the hatred was just disgusting, to be honest with you, considering what these guys have done in the game of golf and how they’ve carried the game of golf and the institutions they represented, was disgusting.”

Looking forward, Norman envisions LIV Golf expanding its influence globally, citing the increasing number of international venues as evidence of the league’s success. “We started out a couple years ago doing about nine and five [venues] — nine in the U.S. and five international. And now that’s flipped. So the international scene, the global scene has opened their arms to us in a significant way. The USA is getting there, but the globe has opened up their arms,” he explained. “So ultimately, what we’ll end up doing is taking the game on a global basis.”

Despite Norman’s confidence in LIV Golf’s future, the ultimate direction of the league remains uncertain as negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) continue. Until an official agreement is reached, the role of LIV Golf within the broader golfing landscape remains to be determined.