Although he had moved behind the scenes and was not prominent after stepping aside for new CEO Scott O’Neil, Greg Norman didn’t officially leave LIV Golf until this contract expired recently.
In an Instagram post, Norman, a Hall of Fame golfer who became the commissioner and CEO of LIV Golf in 2021, acknowledged Thursday that he is no longer with the organization and suggested he has future plans.
“Together, we built a movement that changed the game globally," Norman wrote. "We created opportunities for both players and fans and broadened the ecosystem of golf. We truly globalized the game and expanded golf’s reach to fans around the world. We brought entertainment, innovation and private equity into golf (including to the PGA Tour) positioning the sport as an asset class. It’s been an incredible chapter, and I’m so proud of what we accomplished. My commitment to do what was and still is, the right thing for golf, the players and fans never waivered [sic].”
LIV Golf just completed its fourth season, the third as a league. Norman oversaw its start, its signing of players such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm, the expansion to 13 teams and 54 players. He helped put together the 2025 schedule and was part of the discussions before a television deal with Fox Sports was announced for this year.
Norman, 70, won 20 times on the PGA Tour and more than 80 times worldwide, including two major championships.
Going back to his playing days, Norman advocated for more player freedom and once tried to start a rival league in the early 1990s that would see players pay for bigger purses and guaranteed pay.
Backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, Norman was able to see that idea through with LIV, which is playing for massive $25 million purses each event, with a team component. The franchise model, which sees captains have team equity, has yet to see any of the teams sold to prospective owners.
O’Neil has attempted to strike a more cooperative tone within the golf world in hopes of the league getting Official World Golf Ranking accreditation, a decision that is pending.
He has also seemingly leaned into a more global schedule in an attempt to go to markets around the world that don’t necessarily see high-level pro golf.
LIV Golf’s Team Championship last month in Michigan was its 50th event.
“As for what’s next…. Stay tuned!” Norman wrote. “Exciting times ahead.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Greg Norman Announces Exit from LIV Golf, Hints at Next Move.