LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman reportedly said the breakaway tour is "not going anywhere" in a meeting with staff following the unexpected announcement that will see the PGA Tour and DP World Tour become partners with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF announced that a new for-profit entity would be formed by the three parties, of which the PIF would have a minority equity ownership share. The new entity would be chaired by PIF governor Yasir Al Rumayyan, with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan its chief executive.
The partnership is set to bring to an end ongoing tensions and hostilities between golf's two biggest traditional tours and LIV Golf – the breakaway series created and financed by the PIF and which successfully recruited several of the sport's biggest players.
When asked during a press conference if the new partnership meant LIV Golf still had a future, Monahan said he "can't see that scenario", given the conflicts of interest PIF could potentially face as an investor in the PGA Tour and as the primary financial backer for a rival tour.
By extension, the future has become uncertain for LIV Golf chief Norman, who was only informed of this new partnership moments before Al Rumayyan and Monahan appeared in a television interview with CNBC.
Yet, according to Sports Illustrated, Norman remains defiant that LIV Golf does have a future and shared his confidence with around 100 staff members during a 30-minute call.
"The spigot is now wide open for commercial sponsorships, blue-chip companies, TV networks," the Australian reportedly said.
"LIV is and will continue to be a standalone enterprise. Our business model will not change. We changed history and we're not going anywhere."
Norman's only public reaction to the partnership was a short social media post, where he wrote: "A great day in global golf for players and fans alike. The journey continues!!"
Norman was named chief executive of LIV Golf Investments in 2021 and helped spearhead the launch of the LIV Golf series, which lured several top players with lucrative welcome bonuses and the promise of fewer events for more money played out within a team format.
Norman has been a polarising figure in his role at LIV Golf, with influential players including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy previously calling for his removal if relations between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour were ever to become amicable.
The inaugural LIV Golf season, which began in June last year, comprised eight events and featured the likes of former world No 1 Dustin Johnson, six-time major champion Phil Mickelson, and Brooks Koepka – the five-time major winner who last month became the first LIV player to win a major following his triumph at the PGA Championship.
The ongoing 2023 season was expanded to 14 events and will conclude on November 5 with the Team Championship LIV Golf Jeddah.
