LIV GOLF CHIEF Greg Norman said he hopes there will be a resolution to the sport’s civil war but warned he would “always support our players” after the Europe-based DP World Tour won a legal battle.

Norman made the comments as LIV prepares to tee off in Australia tomorrow for the first time, with sell-out crowds in Adelaide from a nation starved of big-ticket tournaments and superstar players.

An arbitration panel this month ruled that the DP World Tour was correct to impose sanctions on members who appeared on the rebel LIV circuit without permission.

It came after England’s Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were among 12 players appealing against punishments the tour wanted to impose on those who took part in the inaugural LIV event near London last year.

It remains to be seen whether they will appeal or give up their membership of the DP World Tour — a move that would end their involvement in the Ryder Cup.

Norman would not comment on ongoing legal matters, but said: “All I can tell you is this: From a LIV perspective, we’ll always support our players.

“We always have said that since day one,” he said in Adelaide ahead of LIV’s inaugural tournament in Australia.

“We believe in where we’re going and we’re going to be unwavering in that commitment.”

The launch of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf last year divided the sport, with big-name players lured by huge contracts defecting from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

Acrimony and legal battles with US and European golf powerbrokers continue to mar the game.

But Norman also offered an olive branch, reiterating that he was keen to sit down for talks with both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

“LIV is not changing anything and we’ve always been consistent for the last 15 months of saying we’re happy to sit down with you, we’re happy to talk to you,” the Australian said.

“We did with the DP World Tour. We’ve tried with the PGA Tour, consistently with zero, zilch, nothing. That’s their choice. If that’s your decision, fine, we’re okay with that.

“But I do hope there gets to a position where there is resolution to this because the game of golf doesn’t need to suffer. These guys (players) don’t need to suffer.”

Norman, meanwhile, said he had never discussed human rights with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while urging people to focus on sport and not “white noise”.

Bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is chaired by Prince Mohammed, LIV split the elite golf world last year.

But tour bosses face questions about Saudi Arabia’s “sportswashing”.

Asked if he had ever met Prince Mohammed or senior members of the Saudi leadership to discuss human rights, Norman said he hadn’t, insisting it was not his job.

“Why not? Because I am the chairman and ceo of LIV Golf Investments, and that’s where I focus, I focus on golf, I stay focused on golf,” he said in Adelaide, ahead of the maiden Australian leg of the 54-hole, no-cut tour, which features 48 players in 12 teams..

“My job is to build out LIV and the product and the platform we have on the global front.

“Golf is a force for good,” he added. “I’ve built golf courses in Third World countries, in communist countries. So golf is a force for good, it goes everywhere with the right platform.”

Norman said LIV tour is considering creating a women’s circuit and has approached American and European players who are keen to be involved.

“That is a discussion we have internally on a regular basis,” he said in Adelaide. 

“I have personally had discussions with individual LPGA Tour players, LET Tour players, Ladies European Tour. They love what our product is showcasing.

“They ask all the time, ‘How can we get involved?’ We’d love to see a LIV ladies series.”

– © AFP 2023