Greg Norman is angry about the “terrible” treatment LIV Golf players have received since quitting the PGA Tour. The Saudi-backed venture, now in its third season, has been rising in stature after a disappointing start and has already added some of the world's top players.
In December, Norman and his team-mates dealt a major blow to the status quo by signing Jon Rahm for £473 million.
The former world number one joins major champions Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith on the LIV Tour in a lineup that is a far cry from the inaugural Renegade event at the Centurion Club in June 2022.
Despite the likes of Johnson and Phil Mickelson joining at the time, the event was heavily criticised and many players who were considered unknown or past their prime did not participate. In fact, the likes of Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were forced to face tough questions from journalists for what they perceived as prioritising money over fame.
Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and others spoke harshly of LIV, and the World Golf Ranking refused to recognize the rebel events. As a result, many rebel players lost the opportunity to participate in the Grand Slam.
Although the two tours have now reached a compromise, with the structure of the merger agreement expected to be announced later this year, Norman took aim. The 69-year-old also praised the players who first decided to leave the PGA Tour, believing they had been unfairly criticized, before praising them for “moving the game of golf” on the PGA Tour.
“I applaud those pioneers. They rose to the occasion. The viciousness and hatred they were subjected to was, frankly, disgusting,” Norman told Bloomberg.
“Considering what these individuals have done for the game of golf. And how they have advanced the game of golf and the institutions they represent. It's disgusting.”
Norman's comments come as even the most vocal critics of the Ryder Cup appear to be softening their stance. McIlroy himself, who last year backed players who did not consider withdrawing from the European Ryder Cup team, has called for a rule change to allow Rahm to play in the 2025 Ryder Cup.
McIlroy himself has even been linked with a sensational move, something he has vehemently denied. But the impending merger could finally bring harmony to what is often referred to as the “civil war” in the sport.
LIV currently has five events remaining on the schedule for 2024. The next 54-hole tournament will be held in Valderrama, Spain, from July 12-14.
