Greg Norman’s sudden exit from LIV Golf sent shockwaves to the golfing world. Sure, Rory McIlroy, one of Norman’s biggest critics, felt it was ‘probably a good move’, but LIV players aren’t crying over the spilled milk either. Why? Because new CEO Scott O’Neil gave them the ultimate joining gift—a long-due viewership deal with Fox Sports! It is a prize LIV Golf has been eyeing since its inception and that’s the reason Norman’s best players forgot to sob upon his exit. Take Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm, for instance.

They are already looking forward to the future with Fox. After the partnership, Koepka said, “Having FOX Sports on board is a huge win for LIV Golf. They know how to bring sports to life, and I’m pumped to see how they showcase what makes our game so unique.” Jon Rahm echoed his sentiment, adding, “This partnership is a huge step forward for LIV Golf and our fans as it will help bring our tournaments to a broader audience.” But that’s not all! Rahm even hinted that Norman’s exit might be a blessing in disguise.

“Unfortunately, there’s been too much bad blood between Greg and the governing bodies, but bringing in a fresh face could be beneficial,” he said, adding more weight to Norman’s sadness.

In other words, it looks like Greg Norman was not acknowledged for what he built and, in his own words, how he really “changed the game of golf.” Interestingly, not all players were distracted by the new sponsorship deal. As Norman revealed he would stay in touch with Scott O’Neil’s club, one of his loyalists, Anthony Kim, took to X to express his gratitude.

On January 21, he wrote, “Like or dislike GREG, he isn’t wrong that @livgolf_league pushed the PGA Tour to make changes that definitely helped the PLAYERS on that tour. I’m not against the PGA Tour at all by saying that the elevated events seem like LIV models; now everyone gets upset!”

Well, was he wrong to say that? If you look at the PGA Tour’s history, it will scream a straight no. The change in the PGA Tour’s numbers too reveals that it has been taking notes from LIV Golf’s playbook: Signature events, elevated purse, and no cut is a little too familiar concept.

Take the prize purse of regular events, for instance. In 2022, the highest-paying event on the PGA Tour was the Farmer’s Insurance Open, with a total purse of $8.4 million. Fast forward to 2025, and that same event now boasts a purse of $9.3 million—a 10.71% increase!

It’s not just a one-off either. The PGA Tour’s overall prize purse has seen a significant bump, with several events now offering purses near $10 million or more. And let’s not forget the guaranteed base payment for Tour players, which has increased to $500,000 after LIV Golf’s inauguration. Given that each PGA Tour player’s expenses are estimated to be in seven figures, approaching $2 million, this was necessary. All thanks to the Saudi-backed league!

Top Comment by Dean

The reason why greg Norman is so upset at the PGA tour is because he NEVER WON AN AMERICAN MAJOR!!!...more

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However, this was not the first time Kim spoke his heart out. He has always been very open about his thoughts, be it discussing his struggle when he was away from the greens or getting into rifts with Brandel Chamblee. Also, he is not the only one to believe this; Phil Mickelson agrees with his ideology.

Phil Mickelson said the same thing in 2023!

Two years ago, when asked if the PGA Tour had adopted LIV Golf’s approach, Phil Mickelson responded, “You asked that as a question; it should be more of a statement about the fingerprints.” His comments were a nod to the fact that the PGA Tour’s new format, featuring $20 million no-cut, limited-field designated events, bears a striking resemblance to LIV Golf’s model.

“I think that it’s really a good thing. I’m happy to see it. I’m happy to see it for the [PGA] Tour. I think there will always be a need and a want for traditional golf. And there’s always an opportunity to innovate and to allow LIV to be additive and create something new and different.” Let us not forget that Mickelson was almost like a catalyst for those changes. In 2022, he made controversial comments about Saudi Arabia’s wish to invest in golf as leverage to force changes within the PGA Tour.

A year later, names like Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy acknowledged that the tour may have not moved forward with changes had it not been LIV posing a threat to their standing. After all, LIV had acquired players like Mickelson, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau.

But coming back to Mickelson, he also highlighted the benefits of this new format, which brings together the best players more often.

“I think that’s what fans want and what the sponsors want,” he explained. “They want to know what they are buying, and those are all things that LIV has provided for their sponsors and television and so forth.” Lefty concluded by taunting Jay Monahan & Co. He said, “I think it’s a good model to follow, and I’m glad that they are.”

Do you think Anthony Kim and Phil Mickelson’s assessment is correct? Let us know in the comments below.