Greg Norman in Saudi Arabia in February.Credit:Getty
And when asked what he thought when he heard two months ago that 81 Saudi men had been executed on the same day,he said:“I got a lot of messages,but quite honestly I look forward,I don’t look back. I don’t look into the politics of things.
“I know the mission I have as CEO of LIV Golf and that’s how we can grow the game globally. I’m not going to get into the quagmire of whatever happens in someone else’s world. I heard about it,and I just kept moving on.”
On Tuesday night,the PGA Tour refused to grant waivers to roughly 30 players who had applied to play at Centurion and it is understood that the DP World Tour,formerly known as the European Tour,will soon do the same.
It meansPhil Mickelson,Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter must break Tour rules if they want to tee it up in the 54-holer from June 9-11,with the opportunity of collecting $US4 million if they finish first in the 48-man event – and being guaranteed $US120,000 if they come dead last.
The PGA Tour warned that any players who compete anyway will be at risk of sanction,including a fine or a ban. Norman vowed to pay for the players’ fines,and also revealed that his legal team have injunctions ready should the Tours or the majors issue any suspensions.
LIV believes this will allow the rebels to keep competing in the game’s biggest tournaments as the case goes through the courts.
“We are going to back our players. We are going to be there for them,for whatever it is,” Norman said. “We are ready to go[with injunctions].
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“We don’t want to,but we are ready. I’ve told the players,‘It’s your choice. If you want to stay exclusively with the PGA Tour,happy days,go for it’.
“But I’ve also told the players[who take part regardless] ‘We’ve got your back’. Simple. We will defend them,we will reimburse them,and we will represent them.”
Telegraph,London
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