Greg Norman insists that LIV Golf will remain open for anyone to join, including their biggest critic to date Rory McIlroy, as he confirmed the company held detailed talks with Justin Thomas over a move across.
Norman and his Saudi-backed LIV Golf continues to make waves in golf even heading into the winter, with legal proceedings between them and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour sure to stretch on well into next year and beyond.
LIV Golf have been releasing details of their schedule for next year, and they continue to make the news with both that and their CEO and his feud with the PGA Tour and players such as McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
Both players have said he should step aside as LIV Golf chief while there seems no end in sight to the wrangling between the tours and also the Official World Golf Ranking.
In his latest interview, Norman says that despite their issues, the likes of Woods and McIlroy would be welcome to join LIV Golf in the future, while he confirmed that they held detailed talks with Thomas, which is why he's not been a vocal critic of the new competition.
“I mean, we talked to JT," Norman told Bunkered. "Me and another member of my team, we sat down with him and gave him the full presentation and, if you notice, he’s not said much negative about what we’re doing, presumably because he knows it and understands it.
“Our door is open for everybody. We’re not the PGA Tour. We’re not like that. We exist for the players, so we will always have an open door, whether that’s for Rory or Jordan Spieth or Justin Thomas or whoever."
While saying he would welcome anyone, Norman is never scared of responding to criticism, and hit back at Woods and McIlroy for saying he should be removed as LIV Golf CEO.
There was also another dig aimed at the PGA Tour, with the Australian continuing to insist that players there should be thanking LIV Golf for forcing Jay Monahan into releasing more funds for prize money.
“Rory and Tiger have no idea what they’re talking about," Norman added. "None whatsoever. I have got the full support from my chairman. One hundred per cent. One thousand per cent. There has never been one thing to suggest otherwise.
"But I know what they’re trying to do. They’re trying to bait me to draw me into a public back and forth with them and I’m not going to go down that childish path.
“LIV has already brought more value to the game by making reserve money, that had been sitting to one side, and finally getting it put into play. If it wasn’t for LIV, the PGA Tour would not have done what they’ve done. They’ve basically copied our homework.”
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