Greg Norman: “I really don’t care what Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods say”

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman opens up in a wide-ranging interview

In a wide-ranging interview, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman hits back at Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and reveals why his leadership has the PGA Tour “running scared”.

If Greg Norman is feeling the pressure as the face of LIV Golf, he doesn’t appear to be showing it. A broad grin has already formed less than 30 seconds into our Zoom call as he leans back to survey the view from LIV’s plush offices in West Palm Beach, Florida. “It is pretty damn good, I can tell you that,” he says.

The 67-year-old Aussie has lost a lot of friends because of his involvement with LIV Golf. He’s also managed to incur the wrath of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who have led calls for him to step aside for the good of the game.

The two-time Open champion has stayed relatively silent until now. But in his first big interview since rumours started circulating that former TaylorMade CEO Mark King has been lined up as his successor, Norman insists he is going nowhere.

He also pushed back against “the agenda” being driven by Tiger and Rory, and pulled no punches as he spoke about the weaknesses of the Official World Golf Ranking, how his leadership has Jay Monahan running scared, and why the PGA Tour should be thankful for everything he and LIV have done…

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have both said you need to step aside. What do you make of their comments?

I don’t pay attention to them because they don’t know the details. I just focus on my business. I focus on what LIV is. When I went down to Australia, I stood at the podium to announce LIV going to Adelaide. To see that we did 37,000 ticket sales in 48 hours, that’s a testament to the power of LIV. That’s a testament to what the people and golf have been dying for. They’ve been starving for. For me to come out of my home country, knowing that the announcement was received so emphatically, that tells you again that what you’re doing is right.

No matter where I go in the world, nobody – not one person – has said what I’m doing is stupid or wrong. I pay zero attention to McIlroy and Woods, right? They have their agenda for whatever reason. They’re saying whatever they want to say. It has no bearing or effect on me. I’m going to be with LIV for a long, long period of time. I’ve got the support of our investors. Our ambitions going forward, I can tell you, are pretty significant and elevated from where we are in 2022.

Does it not bother you, hearing this stuff and being cast as the villain? Why do you think they are so against you?

You have to ask them that question; I really don’t care. I knew when I came into this position that I needed to have thick skin. I went through it in 1994, I’ve been through this scenario before. It wasn’t Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in those days; it was Arnold Palmer. For me, the experience and knowledge and understanding of the playbook just allows you to keep looking forward. So, I really don’t care what they say.

Tiger wants the two tours to talk. Do you believe this can happen under your leadership?

Of course it can happen under my leadership. I mean, Tiger might be a…

…Read the full interview on the Today’s Golfer members’ website.