Greg Norman denied that LIV Golf made a suggestion to Rory McIlroy to change from the PGA Tour, however added the door stays open for anybody considering becoming a member of the collection.
4-time main winner McIlroy, as soon as one among LIV’s staunchest critics however who has adopted a extra conciliatory tone lately, was reported final week to have turned down a £627m supply to change allegiance.
McIlroy was fast to close down the rumours, insisting he had no ambitions to play wherever apart from the PGA Tour.
Talking forward of this week’s match in Adelaide, LIV chief government Norman dismissed any notion a suggestion had been put ahead to McIlroy, though the two-time Open champion would welcome talks with the 34-year-old or different gamers about what the Saudi-backed collection may supply them.
“LIV by no means put a suggestion to him,” Norman stated. “We did not must make a remark about this, that is simply typical white noise that will get on the market within the business.
“If Rory was keen to take a seat down and have a dialog with us, would we be pleased to take a seat down with him? 100 per cent, no totally different than every other participant who can be considering approaching and taking part in with us.
“It is understanding the info about what LIV represents and what LIV can ship on a world foundation, it is as much as you to find out it. I’ve sat down with one prime, prime PGA TOUR participant in his home with one other member of my crew, strolling by way of the entire course of, and he was so impressed.
“He stated, ‘effectively, that is not what we’re instructed within the locker room. That is actually spectacular’, however he made the choice, he instructed me up two days later and stated, ‘I’ve determined to remain the place I am at’.
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A glance again on how Rory McIlroy’s stance on LIV Golf seems to have modified over the course of the final two years
“I stated, ‘pleased days. You decided on truth. When you’re happier over right here, positive, keep there. Your door is at all times open; if you wish to come again and have a dialog with us, pleased to try this’.”
Together with pledging his future to the PGA Tour forward of final week’s RBC Heritage, McIlroy is ready to re-join the PGA Tour coverage board simply 5 months after stepping down from it.
The Northern Irishman’s resolution to take a spot on the board as one among six participant representatives, taking on from Webb Simpson, comes at a time when negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV’s monetary backers PIF are understood to be stalling.
Regardless of a framework settlement between the totally different factions in males’s skilled golf being introduced 10 months in the past, they haven’t but signed off on a proper reunification.
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When questioned about feedback made by his former agent, Chubby Chandler, suggesting a transfer to LIV Golf may nonetheless be unattainable, Rory McIlroy stored his playing cards near his chest
Nonetheless, Norman insisted he had no perception into how negotiations are progressing and that his solely focus is on persevering with to develop LIV, which reaches the halfway level of it 12-event 2024 schedule at The Grange in Adelaide this week.
“Our investor wished to speculate into LIV as a result of he liked the chance of the franchise mannequin, what he may do with it and the way we are able to construct it out on a world platform,” Norman stated.
“So, me particularly, I do not know what is going on on over there. I actually do not need to know what is going on on over there as a result of we’re so fixated on rising and creating and constructing out what LIV is right now and looking out and doing our schedule for 2025 and going into 2026.
“Our accountability is to take care of our folks, our gamers, and the place we need to go. I haven’t got a solution.”
May LIV transfer to 72-hole occasions in future?
One among LIV’s largest variations from the normal tournaments on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour is that, together with the crew ingredient, it’s performed over a 54-hole no-cut format versus 72-hole occasions with a minimize after the second spherical.
Nonetheless, Jon Rahm, who moved to LIV in December final yr, lately steered the collection ought to take a look at transferring to a 72-hole format to construct belief amongst sceptical golf followers and expanded on that forward of the Adelaide occasion.
“I feel there is a stage of consolation after I say that as a result of it is a bit of bit extra of what we’re used to seeing in golf,” Rahm stated. “I got here to this realization, and I feel it may assist plenty of followers’ belief in LIV a bit of bit extra as a result of that is plenty of the complaints that I see from lots of people, however I made the analogy a bit of bit in the past of why I feel we are able to find yourself with an amazing product.
“In soccer… the one factor I noticed is that they [across different leagues and competitions] all play below the identical algorithm. Whereas we play below most algorithm, the one key distinction is 72 holes.
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Rory McIlroy is hoping that the Ryder Cup guidelines surrounding LIV Golf gamers’ eligibility can be amended so Jon Rahm can participate in 2025
“The one sport that I see that does it a bit of bit totally different to the place they play just about the identical after which the Grand Slams are totally different is tennis.
“However on the finish of the day, LIV is a enterprise. If it would not match the product, it would not match the product. I am only a participant. There’s lots of people which can be quite a bit smarter than me that may determine it out and clarify why they consider 54 holes could also be higher for them.”
Norman admitted transferring to 72 holes is one thing which is being mentioned, though added that it must make sense economically and would take away the depth of gamers having to carry out proper from the beginning of a match.
“When you possibly can tee up on Friday, it is a dash to the tip,” Norman stated. “Typically you possibly can have a median first spherical and then you definitely come again and shoot a 64 and get your self again into it, now you are into the weekend.
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Jon Rahm spoke brazenly about his swap to LIV Golf forward of The Masters, admitting he would like to play on the PGA Tour once more in future
“It’s intense stress on it right away as a result of you need to carry out instantly proper off the bat.
“It is an amazing dialog to have. We are going to proceed to have that dialog going ahead.
“There are issues that we sit again and take a look at to see what’s the most optimum answer to make this a greater and higher and higher occasion, and 72 holes is mentioned.”
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