Greg Norman took to Instagram on Friday to celebrate his three-year LIV anniversary in a post that made bold claims about LIV’s successes, took shots at its detractors and offered a clear declaration about the league’s future.
The timing was interesting. Norman’s post came as the PGA Tour got the second round of its Tour Championship underway. It came a day after Rory McIlroy reemphasized his desire for the Tour to find common ground with the Saudi PIF, LIV’s source of funding. And it came two days after Jay Monahan addressed the media on the state of the PGA Tour — and sidestepped questions about a potential truce with LIV.
Norman has positioned himself as a disruptor and a champion for player rights within professional golf; his post reflected that. He’s also embraced his role as a controversial figure within the game; his defiant expression in a menacing black-and-white cover photo suggested as much.
The post, then:
“Today I celebrate 3 incredible years as CEO and Commissioner of our LIV Golf League. We have come so far in such a short time period, managing all sorts of hostile headwinds, hurdles and untruths that I marvel at what we have accomplished to date.”
Norman then listed 10 claims about LIV’s effect on the professional game, each followed by a prayer-hands emoji and LIV — essentially saying, “thank you, LIV.”
The claims, as written by Norman:
– Players are now earning more money today than ever before;
– Players’ families, fans and caddies are now a priority;
– Players Health & Wellness is now in the best place ever in professional golf history;
– Additional player pathways for them to compete;
– We brought exciting new energy and entertainment to a tired, monotonous sport culture with innovation and production leading the way;
– Golf is now looked upon as an asset class with Private Equity now all in;
– Golf has now opened up new untapped global markets;
– We have lowered the oldest age demographic in our sport from 67-1/2 to below 45;
– We are more successfully working with the global golf ecosystem, as promised;
– We are partnering with communities via our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibilities) initiative.
So how true are Norman’s claims? There’s validity to several, particularly the idea that LIV has given players more money. Top players who defected to LIV Golf were compensated with massive contracts, and the PGA Tour has countered with several initiatives aimed at handing out more money to top pros. The Tour has also welcomed outside investment via the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), whose $1.5 billion investment has included a unique player equity program.
Other claims felt like clearer shots at golf’s establishment, including the claim that LIV was an answer to golf’s “tired, monotonous sport culture.” And while LIV has aimed its efforts at a younger demographic, Norman’s claims of a sub-45-year-old audience also speak to a failure to reach viewers through a traditional TV broadcast. The league has younger viewers, but fewer of them.
Fans of LIV have lauded the reimagined format for the game, which has emphasized team play, shortened tournaments to 54 holes and reduced playing windows via shotgun start. They’ve brought star power to multiple golf-hungry markets, most specifically their Adelaide event in Australia, which was likely the league’s greatest success story to date. And the players have gotten paid.
LIV’s detractors have decried its source of funding; the Saudi Public Investment Fund is the league’s primary backer, effectively making players employees of the Saudi government as it attempts to improve its standing before the world. Golf fans have also objected to the format. Mostly, though, they’ve objected to the splintering of the professional game — former PGA Tour fixtures Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed and Joaquin Niemann are among those who now play on a completely different circuit, coming together only for the four majors — and even then, only some of ’em are qualified.
McIlroy expressed that viewpoint after his round on Thursday at the Tour Championship.
“I think anyone that cares about golf has to be frustrated,” he said, adding that the Tour isn’t putting out its best product because its missing LIV defectors.
“I go back to — even though I was on the wrong side of things, like the U.S. Open with Bryson and I [LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau], you’re only really going to get that four times a year at most. I think the game of golf deserves having those sort of things happen more than just four times a year.”
Monahan emphasized that the Tour is moving full-steam ahead, with or without a deal. But he, too, acknowledged the dominant fan perspective.
“What we hear from fans and what we’re hearing from players, ultimately we’re both in a position to bring the best players in the world back together,” he said. “I think that’s a good and aspirational goal.”
But Norman’s post, which celebrated achieving what he called “my lifelong vision,” struck a different tone. He thanked LIV’s team and those who believe in the league’s business plan. He thanked his boss, including a photo with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and praising his vision and “genius in identifying virgin space.” And he declared his intentions for the league’s future:
“LIV Golf belongs and LIV Golf is here to stay!”
Where Norman’s vision collides with Monahan’s, and McIlroy’s, and Al-Rumayyan’s? That’s what will define his fourth year, and all those that follow.
