Confidence from within the LIV Golf setup still remains with Greg Norman, despite claims that the former world No. 1 could well be replaced as the league’s CEO.
Norman has been the face of the LIV setup since its formation almost three years ago, and he has been at the centre of the league’s rapid rise in men’s professional golf in that time. Having been told the LIV league was ‘dead in the water’ by Rory McIlroy in its early days, Norman has seemingly thrived from the criticism that has come his, and the league’s way.
Since then, the former world No. 1 has been able to lure in some of golf’s biggest names, no more so than one of McIlroy’s key European Ryder Cup allies in two-time major champion Jon Rahm.
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Having once been considered somewhat of a taboo in men’s professional golf, the LIV circuit has seemingly become an accepted part of the sport, with tensions towards the circuit easing, and the PGA Tour in talks with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) to end their lengthy feud.
The man who has been at the wheel every step of the way has been Norman, but his time in charge could well soon be over. Last month, a report from Sports Business Journal claimed that PIF bosses were on the look out for a new CEO to replace Norman, with the Australian being pushed into a different role.
Norman recently addressed the claims, insisting that as things stand, he will continue to go about his job as CEO having signed a contract until 2025. “I’ll answer it this way: My contract is through August of 2025. My commitment to LIV has been unquestioned and my commitment into the future is also unquestioned,” he told Sports Illustrated.
“Time will tell. Will there be a change in my role? My position and my role is to deliver 2025 and get our schedule done and all the things we need to do.” Norman has been a divisive figure throughout his career, and his latest role with the breakaway league has been no different.
Greg Norman is the man in charge (
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And whilst there may be doubts from those above, members of the LIV setup working alongside him clearly believe he is the man for the job. General Manager of Cleeks GC – one of LIV’s 13 franchises – Jonas Mårtensson told Mirror Sport that the consensus among the league’s GMs is confidence in Norman.
” I think everyone really likes Greg,” Mårtensson said of the league’s CEO. “There is no issues in terms of any confidence there.” As mentioned, Norman is often a man who has split opinion, and this only heightened when he became the man in charge of golf’s mega-money, startup circuit.
Providing an insight into the work Norman has done to grow the breakaway league, Mårtensson hailed the Australian’s work and leadership. “Hats off to Greg. I mean what he has done is amazing,” the Cleeks boss added. “It is not easy to run arguably the biggest start up in sports, or possibly in the world. What he has achieved is just amazing.
“I have found my interactions have been, first of all, a lot of respect. He is one of those legends I grew up watching, so it is fantastic to get to know him and learn from him a lot.” Whether Norman does step aside or not still remains to be seen, but if he does, there is no doubt the bullish Aussie has made his mark.
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