Greg Norman announces surprise departure from LIV Golf

LIV Golf’s former CEO Greg Norman, who led the upstart golf league from its inception four years ago, has left LIV Golf. The two-time major winner announced his departure from the league on Wednesday.

Norman took to Instagram to break the news. In a lengthy post, Norman wrote, “After four unforgettable years, I have officially closed out my time with LIV Golf, and reflecting with nothing but gratitude, pride and achievement.”

The World Golf Hall of Famer went on to detail his accomplishments with LIV Golf, including bringing “innovation and private equity” to the game and “positioning the sport as an asset class.” He also noted that he never “wavered” from doing “the right thing for golf.”

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“Together, we built a movement that changed the game globally. We created opportunities for both players and fans and broaden the ecosystem of golf. We truly globalized the game and expanded golf’s reach to fans around the world,” Norman wrote in his announcement. “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 wavered.”

Norman closed out his message saying he will remember his time with LIV with “great fulfillment and appreciation,” and added a note about his future.

“Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey with me during this time. I’ll always look back on this time with great fulfillment and appreciation. As for what’s next… stay tuned! Exciting times ahead. Onward to the next adventure.”

Norman’s controversial tenure as LIV CEO

Norman’s combative nature played a huge role in setting the tone for a years-long feud between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.

From the start, Norman made frequent public pronouncements criticizing the Tour, its leadership and even some of its top players. Criticism was returned in kind by figures like Rory McIlroy.

But Norman’s influence and exposure at LIV diminished after the 2023 agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV’s financiers at the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

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Then, in November 2024, the Sports Business Journal reported that Norman would soon be removed as CEO of LIV Golf. His replacement would be sports business executive Scott O’Neil.

In an interview with Andrew Chernoff of WISH-TV in Indianapolis in December, Norman confirmed the news, but he added that he would always “be involved with LIV.”

“I’ve seen it [LIV Golf] come from a business model on paper to giving birth on the golf course to where it is today,” Norman said. “So, I will always be — is there going to be a new CEO? Yes. There will be a new CEO. I’m fine with that. Will I always have a place and be involved with LIV to some capacity? Yes, I’ll always have that. Because the impact that has been created in the game of golf by LIV, I’ve had a small, small piece of that, which I’m proud of.”