Greg Norman, the commissioner of LIV Golf, claims he was told he was interacting with the patrons at the 2024 Masters in a “fantastic job.”
After mingling with the crowd on the final day of practice at the 2024 Masters, Greg Norman claims he was told he was doing a “fantastic job” with LIV Golf.
High-ranking executives from the breakaway tour were reportedly invited by Augusta National chiefs earlier in the week, but the 69-year-old’sattendanceat the first major of the year came as a complete surprise.
Although it was not immediately clear what role Norman was playing, it was later revealed that The Great White Shark was a paying patron who had come to support the 13 LIV players on the field.
According to Norman’s statement to the Washington Post, he felt that his experience at Augusta National validated that his work with LIV Golf ‘fits within the ecosystem’ of men’s golf.
“While I was strolling around this place today, not a single person asked me, ‘Why did you do LIV?'” he declared. Hundreds of people—even security personnel—have stopped me and said, “Hey, this is awesome what you’re doing.”
“That indicates to me that the platform and what we have work well together and are beneficial to the game of golf,”
Since joining LIV in 2022 as their commissioner, Norman has emerged as one of the men’s game’s most divisive personalities.
With scathing emails to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, the Australian initiated golf’s “civil war” after the established North American circuit threatened to ban players from the Saudi-backed league.
“Surely you jest?” he wrote to Monahan in a memorable letter.
At the height of the rift in golf, Norman called Rory McIlroy a “brainwashed” player.
After hearing whispers of a peace agreement for the first time in November 2022, McIlroy retaliated with insults of his own to the public and even demanded that Norman step down from his position.
Greg has to go, in my opinion, McIlroy previously stated. “I believe he simply has to go off stage left.”
Norman’s unprecedented disruption to the sport made him persona non grata at the historic 150th Open at St Andrews.
The two-time Open champion also disclosed that he received no invitation to the Masters when Jon Rahm won the previous year.
Rahm was still competing on the PGA Tour at the time, but he later signed a £450 million ($566.4 million) contract with LIV.
Prior to his title defense, Rahm expressed to reporters his hope that the game’s reunification would have happened as a result of his move to LIV.
Regarding Norman, he had earlier expressed disappointment over Augusta’s rejection. It’s so trivial, he declared.
“The reason I’m here is because our group of 13 players has won 10 Masters together,” he continued.
“I’m here to help them, and I’ll try my hardest to let them know that their boss is here to cheer them on.”
“There are likely a few that have gone unnoticed but ought to be in.
“What’s the number there? They are unquestionably excellent players who have put on amazing performances over the past six to nine months that are deserving of it; I won’t put a number on it.
Norman was probably referring to Talor Gooch of LIV, the 2024 individual winner of the breakaway tour.
Gooch’s decline in the world rankings has prevented him from qualifying for any of the four majors this year.
There have been rumors circulating among LIV players that the majors might grant players exemptions based on their own merit ranking.
Just before this year’s major began, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley shot down that notion.
“I believe it will be challenging to create a point system that is connected to the rest of the golf industry because the breakaway tour is essentially—if not entirely—a closed shop,” Ridley stated.
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