'We're Happy To Talk' - LIV Chief Greg Norman Calls For A 'Resolution' To Golf's Civil War
Greg Norman says that the game of golf has suffered enough and wants LIV Golf and the PGA and DP World Tour to find a solution
Greg Norman says “the game of golf doesn’t need to suffer” as he revealed that his LIV Golf organisation was still happy to sit down and try to heal the rift with the PGA and DP World Tours.
The introduction of LIV Golf last year broke the golfing world in two, with several big-name players leaving the PGA Tour to pocket the huge wealth on offer from the Saudi-backed enterprise.
It’s led to some acrimony among the players, but more so in the boardroom than on the golf course with several legal battles still rumbling on between the parties.
LIV Golf League is in Norman’s native Australia and while doing his media duties the CEO insisted that for his part he was happy to try and find a solution.
Norman says that LIV Golf has continually tried to hold talks with the PGA and DP World Tours, but with no response, and hopes that a resolution can be found as golf has suffered enough.
"LIV is not changing anything and we've always been consistent for the last 15 months of saying we're happy to sit down with you, we're happy to talk to you," said Norman.
"We did with the DP World Tour. We've tried with the PGA Tour, consistently with zero, zilch, nothing. That's their choice. If that's your decision, fine, we're okay with that.
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"But I do hope there gets to a position where there is resolution to this because the game of golf doesn't need to suffer. These guys (players) don't need to suffer."
One big legal decision has seen an arbitration panel rule that the DP World Tour was allowed to fine members such as Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter who played at LIV without permission.
Poulter and Westwood were one of 12 players to appeal the original sanctions, which seemingly ended their Ryder Cup involvement, and it’s unclear if they will again appeal this latest decision.
Norman didn’t comment on the case directly, but said that LIV would continue to support their players with any further fallout from them joining up.
"All I can tell you is this: From a LIV perspective, we'll always support our players,” Norman added. "We always have said that since day one.
"We believe in where we're going and we're going to be unwavering in that commitment."
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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