Greg Norman: I’d rather see LIV Golf end than wither away

Former LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman has expressed a preference for the rebel tour to be completely dismantled rather than continue in a reduced capacity. The tour's prospects appear bleak after the Saudi Public Investment Fund terminated its backing earlier this year, having already injected $5 billion into the competition in an attempt to rival the PGA Tour.

Negotiations are ongoing for a scaled-down rollout next year with involvement from BC Partners, but this may hinge on whether world-class golfers Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm choose to remain with LIV Golf. Speaking to golf outlet Skratch, Norman, who founded LIV Golf in 2022, lamented the situation, stating, "I'm sad, disappointed, gutted to be honest.

I hate to see it wither away. I would rather just see it end." At a recent gathering in Indianapolis, the tour's future was outlined by BC Partners' Ted Goldthorpe under the guise of a "LIV 2.0" vision. The current season was abruptly concluded, and LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil has maintained a glimmer of hope that a solution can be found, potentially involving a truncated calendar of eight to 10 tournaments and considerably smaller prize pools.

Norman's initial enthusiasm for LIV Golf was evident in his groundbreaking announcement, which promised players "generational wealth." While the tour has significantly increased prize money, forcing the PGA Tour to follow suit, other facets of the original vision, such as creating billion-dollar franchise teams, have yet to materialize.

Norman emphasized that "we were a family. We were united by the feeling that we were doing something new and exciting for the game of golf." He added, "It took an unbelievable amount of effort, and there were constant headwinds, but we did it because we believed in the vision."