Let The Legal Wrangling Begin! PGA Tour Denies Waivers For LIV Events

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The expected showdown over LIV Golf’s Portland stop ended before it began.

Instead, the PGA Tour expedited the inevitable showdown with the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf by denying player waivers to the upcoming LIV Invitational outside London. While many expected the Tour to allow their players that lucrativeplaying opportunity, a memo sent to players—and plenty of media who’ve apparently joined the player email list—explained the Tour’s position. The statement to players was sent at 6:30 p.m. ET and it’s tight! From GolfDigest.com’s Dan Rapaport story:

"We have notified those who have applied that their request has been declined in accordance with the PGA TOUR Tournament Regulations. As such, TOUR members are not authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League’s London event under our Regulations," PGA Tour Senior Vice President Tyler Dennis wrote to players in the memo. "As a membership organization, we believe this decision is in the best interest of the PGA TOUR and its players."

The key words seem to be Tournament Regulations and “membership organization.”

LIV Commish Greg Norman found time after a busy daydigging new landmines while promoting the London stop to issue a lawyerly response. Bob Harig at MorningRead.com has it:

“Sadly, the PGA Tour seems intent on denying professional golfers their right to play golf, unless it’s exclusively in a PGA Tour tournament. This is particularly disappointing in light of the Tour’s non-profit status, where its mission is purportedly ‘to promote the common interests of professional tournament golfers.’ Instead, the Tour is intent on perpetuating its illegal monopoly of what should be a free and open market," Norman said.

"The Tour’s action is anti-golfer, anti-fan, and anti-competitive. But no matter what obstacles the PGA Tour puts in our way, we will not be stopped. We will continue to give players options that promote the great game of golf globally.”

We can tell Greg didn’t write this because it was devoid of mindless “grow the game” references and contradictions from one sentence to the next.

So where does this leave the showdown?

Lawyers making money!

GolfDigest.com’s Joel Beall talked to a few legal types regarding the PGA Tour’s right to block players and, well, it’s complicated.

More curious about all of this in the short term? Consider:

  • The DP World Tour is more immediately threatened by the upcoming London event and likely to see some of its better players wanting to play. But thanks to the PGA Tour they did not have to act first.

  • The PGA Championship is next week and perhaps the PGA Tour felt it would be better for their partners in Frisco to get these headlines out of the way now instead of having players get asked for an update on their release? AT&T is crapped on all the time so why not once more?

  • The 6:30 p.m. ET memo to players came after Norman admitted earlier in the day that the rival tour is a rival tour with long range commitments, not just some alternative opportunity for independent contractors who’ve long dreamed of shotgun starts. Perhaps the Tour’s lawyers had their reason to green light the release denial?

Norman revealed eight days ago that players were still under contract to play LIV Golf’s events. Presumably the contracts are not telling them what to wear.

"To this day, we still have players under contract and signed," Norman said. "The ones who wanted to get out because of the pressure of the PGA Tour gave back their money and got out. Guys had money in their pockets."

Presumably the contracts outline what exactly is required to see Saudi Arabia’s money in their accounts. We can only presume this means mandated appearances to play golf tournaments, not deliver readings of their favorite philosophy books. A cynic might even think these contracts serve as an advance for committing to an exclusive Saudi league with a binding franchise commitment that Norman made official in multiple interviews Tuesday.

Norman told the BBC these are “baiter” events coming up. Generally one uses bait to catch things?

Norman explained that his initial Invitational Series is just a beginning. "Twenty-two and 23 are our baiter years. We are a start up, basically," he said.

"I think people will realise the platform we have out there, the ability of the fans to get a better experience for the players, the stakeholders. Our production budget is mind-blowingly impressive."

A baiting start-up and better experience. Sure sounds like a rival league, one that might allow the PGA Tour to enforce its regulations.

Time and lot of lawyers will tell us who has the right to do what. But it sure sounds like the LIV folks were eager to assure players that their Saudi sugar daddies were in this for the long haul, freeing up Jared Kushner-level money and said a little too much too soon?

Saudis Commit Another $2 Billion Into LIV, Names Not Revealed For First Event To Air On YouTube

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The LIV Golf folks admirably opened their Commissioner to questioning following news of a staggering infusion of more money and to roll out world ranking numbers hoping to play the June 2-9 event outside London. One huge catch: Commissioner Greg Norman is a terrible interview and continues to do his best to sink this ambitious ship. Assuming you expect consistency, clarity, vision, non-B speak or a sense this is something to be taken seriously.

And the grow the game references are almost a nervous tick at this point. Another sign no one has been able to tell him the phrase is a way of announcing to the world, “I’m a stooge with no one around me to say stop using that inane, phony, shallow phrase.”

The latest rollout’s details.

  • According to Bob Harig at Morning Read, “LIV Golf Investments received 170 entries for the June 9-11 event at the Centurion Golf Club outside of London, with 36 ranked among the top 150 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Several amateurs, who have apparently worked out NIL (name, image and likeness) deals, will also be part of the 48-player field.”

  • Not a single player name was released. Norman said 19 of the top 100, and six of the top 50 are committed. Again, before releases were granted.

  • These field numbers, cited by Norman in multiple interviews, have been made before all releases from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have been granted. With the DP potentially saying no to as many as 40, the numbers may take a hit.

  • Norman announced a new “infusion of $2 billion from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia that will help launch its eight-tournament schedule this year, a 10-tournament slate in 2023 and the league, which in 2024 and 2025 will have 14 tournaments that include 12 four-man teams. Norman is in London for a promotional event tied to the first tournament.”

  • This is new money on top of the initial investment that appears appears meant to show a commitment beyond this year and next but also comes with players needing to commit to a league concept starting in ‘24.

  • A league concept sure goes against any kind of independent contractor situation, potentially undermining LIV’s legal case when coupled with previous Norman admissions that players are under contract.

Norman gave interviews to Sky Sports and BBC where, at best, he was all over the map.

Facing tough questions from Jamie Weir, Norman was wildly inconsistent spinning the the funding sources track record.

Norman said that he understood people's concerns about the source of the money funding the tour and the human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, but added that the country was making a "cultural change from within" and that he specifically has no ties to the government.

"100 per cent [I understand]," Norman said. "And it's reprehensible what happened with [Jamal] Khashoggi. Own up to it, talk about it.

"But if you go back into Saudi Arabia, they're making a cultural change from within to change that. They don't want to have that stigma sitting over there.

"The generation of kids that I see today on the driving range, they don't want that stigma going on into generations and their kids. They want to change that culture and they are changing it.

"And you know how they're doing it? Golf."

I believe that’s what they call sportwashing, as Weir noted. Greg said no.

Norman added: "I'm not going to get into politics, I don't know what the Saudi government does. I don't want to get into that. Every country has a cross to bear.

"They're not my bosses. We're independent. I do not answer to Saudi Arabia. I do not answer to their government or MBS [Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud].

"I answer to my board of directors, and MBS is not on that. Simple as that. So that narrative is untrue."

Wonder who he thinks the board reports to?

Maybe the Crown Prince got a standing O at the last PIFSA annual meeting for his choice of sandal?

The full interview is a wild mess of contradictions:

"The generation of kids that I see today on the driving range, they don't want that stigma going on into generations and their kids. They want to change that culture and they are changing it.

"And you know how they're doing it? Golf."

Norman added: "I'm not going to get into politics, I don't know what the Saudi government does. I don't want to get into that. Every country has a cross to bear.

"They're not my bosses. We're independent. I do not answer to Saudi Arabia. I do not answer to their government or MBS [Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud].

"I answer to my board of directors, and MBS is not on that. Simple as that. So that narrative is untrue."

"Their commitment to the league when it gets to 2024 is because they will own part of a franchise. They'll be able to go: Okay, I want to be traded for 'X'. They will be creating value within that team. The value today that doesn't exist for any player, anywhere in the world.

"It's up to them to make that decision. Personally, I wish I had this opportunity.

"We are not trying to destroy the Tour. 100 per cent not. I will fight to my death on that one. I'm still a lifetime member of the PGA Tour."

Speaking to BBC’s Iain Carter, Norman is backing off the use of disruptor or disruption and now calling 2022 and 2023 as LIV’s “baiter” years. “We are a start up, basically," he said.

With seed money from a regime that loves to cut people’s heads off after a not-fair trial.

Carter asked about television and high ticket prices for the initial events.

"I think people will realise the platform we have out there, the ability of the fans to get a better experience for the players, the stakeholders. Our production budget is mind-blowingly impressive."

He then revealed the opening event in Hertfordshire will be shown on YouTube. "Centurion will be streamed live," he said. "We have a lot of linear and OTT [over the top] people wanting to come in with us. We are under NDAs with nine of them."

NDA’s…except with YouTube!

Throughout the interview he insisted the primary objective is to "grow the game" and deferred to ticketing agencies for ground pass prices that start at £69.22 per day and £52 for students. By way of comparison, ticket prices for last week's British Masters at The Belfry started at £40.

"Ticket people make those decisions," he said.

Ah that’s the hands on, take all responsibility type of leadership you love to see!

Petulance Just Got Real! Sergio Has Only A Few More Weeks On The PGA Tour!

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This is going to be tough to swallow. The emotions, the sadness, the outright misery that this man has had to endure playing the PGA Tour as a relentlessly brooding, temper-tantrum prone, club-hurling, green vandalizing jagwagon may be coming to an end. Oh, and say goodbye to a Ryder Cup captaincy, too.

Having hit his shot into the TPC Potomac’s 10th hole junk, Sergio Garcia vented his case for leniency to a PGA Tour rules official over the commencement of timing for his lost ball search. (See below for an update on that.)

"I can't wait to get out of here,” the miserable said not in reference to the overgrown penalty area, but we would soon find out, in reference to the PGA Tour. Then after more of his signature whining and petulance when he didn’t get his way, Sergio announced he’s going to be taking up residence on the LIV Golf tour where the slogan is, “Shot Just Got Real".

"I can't wait to leave this tour. ... I can't wait to get out of here, my friend,” the wee one said.

And just to be sure we were unclear, the 2017 Masters champion wrapped things up with: "a couple of more weeks, I don't have to deal with you anymore."

Though PGA Tour rules officials work all four major championships, something Garcia would know if he actually interacted with humans in an adult manner.

Garcia did not speak to reporters after his Wells Fargo opening round, but his agent did confirm that his client has sought a release for the first LIV event.

The full video from PGA Tour Live of what may be one of his final rounds on the PGA Tour…until he comes crawling back next year:

**The PGA Tour issued this statement explaining that the official was mistaken in his timing the lost ball search. However, because Garcia entered a marked penalty area, dropped and incurred a one-stroke penalty, there is no change to his score. But some lucky person got to notify him he was in the right. I’m sure he handled it with dignity!

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes May 5, 2022

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SBJ: LIV Golf Close To Landing PGA Tour's Preferred Production Company; Discussions With Fox Have Died

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Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand says the LIV Golf group has awarded a production deal bid to NEP Group, which also handles general production for the PGA Tour.

Awkward alert!

As Ourand notes, the PGA Tour has understandably been trying to discourage such deals by its partners.

That’s because NEP already has a deep relationship with the PGA Tour, which has been dissuading its corporate partners from working with the Saudi-backed upstart league.

Essentially, the PGA Tour’s partners have to decide whether it’s worth the risk of angering tour executives in order to grow their business — and presumably cash a big check — with LIV Golf.

For the most part, the PGA Tour’s messaging has been delivered. If NEP signs a deal, it would become one of the only companies to work with both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

NEP has been the Tour’s partner as it took control of on the television compounds at their events. It’s led to noticeably upgraded PGA Tour Live coverage on ESPN+.

Ourand also has this on LIV’s efforts to land a major media partner:

The other big question is who will carry the LIV Golf events in the U.S., considering that most of the big U.S.-based media companies already have deep relationships with the PGA Tour. Sources said LIV Golf had discussions about doing a deal with Fox, but those talks died down weeks ago.

Five Families Would Be Wise To Steer Clear Of The Tours v. Greg & The Sportwashing Saudi's

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There are no sound reasons I could come up with for the Masters, USGA, R&A and PGA of America to uphold possible player suspensions and risk legal exposure should Jay Monahan suspend players over U.S. appearances for LIV Golf’s series.

Things are good right now for the other Families and it sounds like they know it. My latest Quadrilateral.

Norman: Players Had Cashed The Checks Until Mickelson's Remarks

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A Greg Norman interview with ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach is getting a lot of attention for the Shark opening up even more about “negative momentum” Phil Mickelson’s “scary m&^%$#@&^’s” characterization caused the startup LIV Golf.

I found a couple of other remarks more telling and they probably kept conversation lively around the Global Home’s pizza maker today.

"Quite honestly, we were ready to launch on the Tuesday or Wednesday of Genesis," Norman said. "We had enough players in our strength of field, or minimal viable product, ready to come on board. And when all of that happened, everybody got the jitters, and the PGA Tour threatened people with lifetime bans and stuff like that."

Norman said a handful of the players who had previously signed with LIV Golf have remained committed to play in the series, which now includes eight events -- including five in the U.S.

Norman said they had 15 of the world top 50 at the time committed to play in what was a league concept then and is now a come-as-you-please tour with a team event at the end. If he’s to be believed—always an if with the Shark—that would have been a more significant number of top players than the current 15 of the top 100 most recently estimated.

But this was a shocker:

"To this day, we still have players under contract and signed," Norman said. "The ones who wanted to get out because of the pressure of the PGA Tour gave back their money and got out. Guys had money in their pockets."

So according to the Shark money was wired and returned.

Which would suggest a sizable number of players were and probably will continue to have no qualms about the money source, a significant problem for the existing Tours who have either done business with Saudi Arabia (European Tour) or are afraid to question the source (PGA Tour).

Yet who is proudly all in and publicly committed to the LIV events?

LIV Golf Rolls Out Tickets Sales And A Slogan To Make Live Under Par Almost Sound OK

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Hey parents, have fun explaining that one!

Daddy, why do they say Shot Just Got Real?

Well, Tilly, it’s a play off of…oh forget it.

But more importantly, you can now reserve Grounds passes in the $70-85 range for all but the LIV Golf series tournaments except the finale at Trump Doral. And I know, this sounds pricey for one day of golf where it’s a 4-hour shotgun start. But it’s a small price to pay when you get to see the likes of Garrigus!

Besides the general admission, there are some all-you-can-eat packages and Club 54 options for each event including a premium option that what looks like it goes for $13,000. Lee Westwood’s going to love when there are fans inside the ropes! And the post round Q&A…

Lawrenson: LIV Event At St Albans Will Test European Tour's Ryder Cup Captaincy Threat

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The Daily Mail’s Derek Lawrenson considers news of Phil Mickelson possibly returning and going for the Saudi money he knows is controlled by a murderer.

And in doing so Lawrenson notes two key points worth keeping an eye on:

The interesting thing will be if the DP World Tour follow through with their threat to prevent anyone who signs up for a Saudi event from becoming a Ryder Cup captain in the future.

It looks as if Westwood, Poulter and Garcia — three shoo-ins for the job under normal circumstances — are ready to call their bluff and see who blinks first. It would certainly damage the credibility of the Ryder Cup if all three were overlooked for the post.

That’s an understatement. It would be a stunner given how all three have seemed like locks to one day wear $1900 jumpers and drive the bright blue buggies of the DP World Team, I mean, Europe.

He also offers this reminder about all of the money talk surrounding the world of golf.

There's a war going on, people are struggling everywhere to pay their bills, and yet 48 golfers, half of whom will be journeymen at best, will play a glorified exhibition 54-hole tournament for a $4million first prize, with even last place getting $120,000.

Is it possible to conceive a worse optic for golf than that?

Doral Is Back! Trump Resort To Host LIV Golf's Team Championship For Its Non-Team Event Tour

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The fountain at Trump Doral.

Bob Harig at Morning Read/SI had the news first: Trump Doral will host October’s concluding eighth event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series. The famed Blue Monster course was site of the PGA Tour’s annual Miami stop beginning in 1962 and until the PGA Tour left for Mexico City’s WGC event, now defunct.

Harig writes:

After five years away, Doral will get professional golf again under Norman’s LIV Golf banner, the $30 million Team Championship in which the four-man winning team will split $16 million.

As you may recall Commissioner Greg Norman and friends have abandoned a team concept for 7 individual events followed by this concluding tournament. Harig has also reported that 15 top 100 players have registered and may seek releases from their Tours.

Either way, expect former President Donald Trump to add to October’s spectacle, whatever format is used to give out $30 million of Public Investment Fund money. It should be fun.

When Doral was dumped by the Tour, he said…

"I just heard that the PGA Tour is taking their tournament out of Miami and moving it to Mexico," Trump said in an interview with Fox News in May of 2016. "It's at Doral ... they used one of my places. They're moving their tournament; it's the Cadillac World Golf Championship. And Cadillac's been a great sponsor, but they're moving it to Mexico. They're moving it to Mexico City which, by the way, I hope they have kidnapping insurance.

"But they're moving it to Mexico City. And I'm saying, you know, what's going on here? It is so sad when you look at what's going on with our country."

Well it’s back and funded by folks who’ve done a little kidnapping and slaughtering themselves. It comes full circle.

Norman Calls Mickelson Reveal Part Of A Conspiracy, Saudi League Targeting Amateurs Using NIL Rules

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Just another week in the messy disruption effort by the Living Brand.

According to The Telegraph’s James Corrigan, four players of note have committed to the first LIV Golf event in London, including a "two-time major winner” that’s “in talks” with the group. Details have not been confirmed but Corrigan says the names are thought to “include Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Kevin Na."

Soon after, Watson randomly shared his schedule this week on Twitter for those looking to make summer plans. It did not include any Saudi events, suggesting Watson was refuting the story.

Corrigan quotes Norman as saying the Saudi-backed “League” is going forward with full purses no matter who shows up and hopes this creates a domino effect where top players see guys they can beat winning silly money. Interesting strategy!

Corrigan also quotes sources saying the Saudis and the charming Crown Prince are "willing to up the ante if needs be and lose” $3 billion over three years.

Since they gave Jared Kushner $2 billion to play with, I think we can believe them!

And most amazing of all, Norman suggested that the release of controversial comments by Phil Mickelson was "part of a conspiracy to derail the venture.” The Shark may have forgotten that Mickelson gave a disastrous interview in Saudi Arabia to John Huggan first, making the release of Alan Shipnuck’s book excerpt mere validation that Mickelson’s rhetoric had jumped to a new level of dark and deranged.

Mickelson has also not refuted the accuracy of either interview.

In another interview, Norman revealed to SI’s Bob Harig that the “league” concept has been shelved for two years, at least. And he’s coming after the kids!

Norman said the group is looking at using the Name, Image, Likeness opening to pursue amateur golfers.

Norman, in an interview with SI.com/Morning Read, said for those who do not want to turn pro or have college eligibility, LIV Golf is working on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals that are now prevalent in college sports.

“I’ve always said from the outset I want to grow the game of golf the best way we possibly can for all levels,’’ said Norman, who is the commissioner of the LIV Golf Invitational Series and CEO of LIV Golf Investments. “I’ve been consistent with this. At the Shark Shootout (his team event in Naples, Florida), for 33 years I’ve tried to always invite a rookie, a younger player — Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff.

“It was to reach out to some kid to give him a chance to start experiencing something new. And we have every intention of doing that with this as well. Give them a pathway. Some of these guys are set to turn pro anyway, and this is an opportunity for them to experience something new.’’

Give them a chance to experience something new. Growing the game!

The revised amateur status rules do no appear to address such an endorsement deal to provide an advance. It’s both a clever move and utterly creepy since it could have leagues and tours pursuing deals with college golfers and even high schoolers.

PGA Tour Has Not Responded To PGL's Substantial Offer Letter

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We learned from the Fire Pit Collective that Rory McIlroy brought the Premier Golf League’s latest concept to the PGA Tour Policy Board, including substantial free money for players.

Bob Harig reports that the PGA Tour has not responded to the letter and proposal more than a month after the letter went out.

There was no direct response to PGL other than through player-director Kevin Kisner, who told the Fire Pit Collective that an independent company studied the proposal and “the results were presented to us: not feasible.’’

The PGL outlined its plan in a Feb. 14 letter to the PGA Tour Policy Board that was shared with numerous players. According to the plan, it would generate significant equity value for all voting PGA Tour members, as well as those on the DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.

Applications Now Accepted For The Liv Golf Invitational In London

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Application invitations have been sent to prospective Liv Golf Invitational contestants for the initial stop in London. As tends to happen with email, the link and password has been forwarded around and found its way to an inbox of mine.

Unless you meet the criteria, you cannot apply. But in the interest of making sure all worthy candidates have their fair shot at the $25 million purse, I’ll share the criteria below with carefully crafted insights in between. (Note the nice double dollar sign choice for the password.)

LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL LONDON

WHEN: 3-day, 54-hole tournament taking place June 9-11, Thursday through Saturday. This ensures anyone competing in the U.S. Open the following week has the ability to travel back to the States on Sunday.



No chartered jet to Logan?

WHERE: Centurion Club, 35 minutes north of Central London



FIELD: 48 players across 12 teams (4 players per team)



PRIZE PURSE: $25MM Prize Purse with $20MM distributed based on individual performance (1st $4MM - 48th $120K) and $5MM distributed across the top 3 teams and paid out evenly to each team member (1st $3MM, 2nd $1.5MM, 3rd $500K)



THE DRAFT: A draft will take place on Tuesday, June 7 to roster the 12 teams, with LIV appointed Team Captains selecting their 3 open team positions in snake draft format



LIV appointed Team Captains should be fun.

Greg, I have Gary Player on line one, should I send him to voice mail?

HELL NO! Put him through pronto!

PRO-AM: The pro-am will take place on Wednesday, June 8th



For that much money maybe players can buy pro-am spots and just choose to play a practice round?

COMMITTMENT: Participating in LIV Golf Invitational London does not require you to play in future events

This registration is only for our London event. As players have the option to enter and compete in one or all of our events, we will be sending out separate invitations to request an invite for each of our events in the coming months.

Entries for this event close at 11:59PM EDT Tuesday, May 10th. Invitations will be on a rolling basis with written notifications to the final field commencing Monday, May 23rd.

Taking it right to the bitter end.

LIV GOLF INVITATIONALS 2022 - EXEMPTION CRITERIA:

1) Asian Tour Players(3):


a) Leading 2 players from within the top-20 of the final 2021 Asian Tour Order of Merit Standings


b) Leading 1 player from within the top-10 of the Asian Tour Order of Merit at close of Entries



For now.

2) DP World Tour Players (3):


a) Leading 2 players from within the top-20 of the final 2021 European Tour Race to Dubai Standings


b) Leading 1 player from within the top-10 of the DP World Tour Rankings at close of Entries



Nice recognition of the branding transition.

3) PGA Tour Players (3):


a) Leading 2 players from within the top-30 of the final 2021 PGA Tour FedEx Cup Standings


b) Leading 1 player from within the top-10 of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup standings at close of Entries



Someone finally pays proper respect to the FedExCup!

4) Leading 2 players from within the top 15 of the final 2021/2022 standings of each of the PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour and Japan Golf Tour (6)

Two spots each. Generous!



5) Leading 3 players from the Asian Tour International Series rankings at close of entries (3)



You go Asian Tour!

6) The two leading players from the International Series London not otherwise exempt (2)

But wasn’t that event replaced by the Liv London? I can’t keep up.



7) Leading 22 players from the OWGR at close of entries (22)

Whoa, but no minimum on the number. Bold.



8) Balance of field to be made up at the discretion of LIV Golf Commissioner and Championship Committee

Ah now we’re getting somewhere. Will Greg Norman go all Dick Cheney and decide he’s the best candidate to fill out the field?

Asian Tour Loses Its London Stop Before It Was Ever Played

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Reader R pointed out that the Asian Tour schedule no longer features the previously June stop near London because that event is now on the LIV Invitational circuit’s 2022 schedule.

The Asian Tour announcement for the new “international series” was on February 1 and the London stop was the centerpiece for growing the tour along with an additional $100 million from the Saudi sugar fund.

"We are on the threshold of a new era for Asian golf," said Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour commissioner and CEO.

"The International Series is a new upper-tier of elite events, the likes of which the region has not seen before, that will mark the start of a phenomenal period of growth for the Asian Tour.

"It also signifies the beginning of our relationship with our new strategic partner LIV Golf Investments and its CEO Greg Norman."

Indeed it did.

Norman On Five Clubs Pod: Grow The Game, Grow The Game, Grow The Game

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Unlike the bubbly bro massage he received on Golf.com’s Subpar podcast, LIV Golf Commish Greg Norman faced real questions on Gary Williams’ Five Clubs podcast where he was pressed about that beheading-prone guy controlling the purse strings of Norman’s 8-event schedule.

Sitting in front of the Sydney Opera House minus his ears, Norman made one bit of news while producing pathetic answers on funding front.

First the news. This was an odd line to me for a series of eight, come-as-you go events for independent contractors.

“There are contracts, but I’m not going to give out any names on that,” Norman said when pressed on commitments to the league. He later said that invitations would be going out “very shortly.”

Contracts but invitations have not gone out. Interesting. Also, I get it that you need contract for to give away your likeness and stuff, but here’s guessing the fine print mentions more than that. As in, a lack of independence as a contractor.

Regarding the Saudi stuff, get ready for some robust “grow the game” nonsense. But do chuckle when the Shark notes the Saudi’s deep history of support for the game. You know dating to 2019.

G.C. Digital wrote a summary of the pod and noted these lines:

“We’re not a political organization,” Norman said. “And what we’ve done and what the PIF have done and what Saudi Arabia has done, like I said to you before, golf is good for the world and golf is good with Saudi Arabia.”

He later added: “My passion for the game of golf and growing the game of golf is my priority. … This is all about the game of golf and growing the game of golf. I’m not even going to go down that path of trying to get into a political discussion about it. I’m focused on growing the game of golf the best way I possibly can. End of story.”

It’s also fascinating to hear him talk about the “long process” and “massive amount of effort to build this enterprise, including all the stuff with the lawyers, blah, blah, blah. This would seem to be disregarding how the Saudi group unashamedly stole the Premier Golf League’s playbook they were once a funder of.

Anyway, if you’re doctor forbids you from hearing more than two “grow-the-games” a day, this isn’t for you. Here is the portion on Saudi Arabia that’s so telling (full pod embedded farther down or wherever you get your pods):

Norman also gave an interview to CNN’s Amanda Davies and delivered similar grow-the-game broken recordspeak.

"We're here to grow the game of golf. Money from Saudi Arabia has gone into the game of golf and since 2019, Saudi Arabia has put on the Saudi International," the 67-year-old said.

"That was co-sanctioned by the European Tour, now the DP World Tour. So the money's been there and the other tours have co-sanctioned these tournaments by Saudi money. Golf is good for the world and golf is good for Saudi Arabia too. We've seen it.

"Saudi Arabia has invested a lot of money into women's golf. They're the largest investor in women's golf today. So when you look at all the facts sitting out there, yes, our investor is Saudi money. I'm proud of that because, like I said, golf is good for the world and we're just going to grow the game of golf on a worldwide basis."

What an amazing fall for the living brand.