Greg Norman Hits Jay Monahan’s ‘Monopolist’ PGA Tour With a 8-Word Reality Check Days After LIV Golf’s Major Triumph

Two! That is the number of LIV golfers who have won majors! With the 2023 PGA Championship and the 2024 US Open wins LIV players have proved that 54-hole format golf is real golf, after all! Every major where both LIV golfers and PGA Tour pros compete, in a way, becomes LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour. It is inarguably true that the rivalry between the two has been apparent in the past and continues to be that way, despite the merger with PIF and the formation of a fourth profitable entity. After Bryson DeChambeau won at Pinehurst, he dedicated his win to LIV Golf as well, along with others. Needless to say, everyone was on cloud nine, including Greg Norman, and he recently came forward and gave a reality check to Jay Monahan’s Tour. That too, in the most subtle way.

Recently, the LIV Golf CEO was on the Bloomberg Television YouTube channel. While they discussed a few things, Norman also talked about how LIV Golf has stayed true to itself and has just worked very hard to reach the point where it is. “It’s very simple; one word: consistent; we stay consistent. We’ve stayed true to our model. There was a lot of headwinds in the beginning because the monopolist really controlled the game of golf on a global basis,” said Norman. In 2023, LIV Golf encountered a setback when its application for OWGR accreditation was denied. Not getting OWGR has made it difficult for the players to qualify for majors and the Olympics.

Norman elaborated on how the concept of LIV and its business model are aligned to adapt to the current state of golf. Throughout his three-year tenure as CEO, he has not faced criticism questioning his methods. “I think that’s a powerful enough testament to say that our product is our product, and our product is received by many but by a few who want to try and stop us for all the wrong reasons,” Norman added. In eight subtle words, the Australian golf veteran laid out that LIV is indeed here to stay: “They haven’t been able to sustain their position in the game of golf.” 

The monopolist remark was possibly about the PGA Tour, since in 2022 it was Monahan’s PGA Tour leading the game of golf before 2022. Before LIV, there was no substantial Tour in America that could compete with the PGA Tour. Ever since LIV has come into the picture, the American Tour has also revamped a little bit, such as announcing more lucrative financial purses to match LIV’s humongous payouts.

While Norman directed his statement toward the PGA Tour and asserted that LIV Golf is more stable and sustainable than Monahan’s led circuit, it’s possible that Norman’s belief isn’t only coming from Bryson DeChambeau’s US Open victory but instead because of the way things are for the PGA Tour currently.

Is the PGA Tour’s fandom at risk?

During the RBC Heritage, CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and Wells Fargo Championship, adverse weather conditions impacted the tournaments’ ratings, leading to an overall decline of nearly 20% in viewership. Interestingly, Monahan has not addressed this concern directly. However, players such as McIlroy have dished out that on average viewership is low by 20%.

Aside from that, there are other concerns with the PGA Tour. This year, in January, reports revealed that Farmers Insurance will no longer sponsor the San Diego event. Not only that but recently, the Royal Bank of Canada’s chief marketing officer, Mary DePaoli, also expressed her frustration with the Tour because of the continuous delay in the update of the PGA Tour-PIF deal.

“We are all watching the PGA Tour right now try to sort through a business model that has been under some significant strain and has still not fully resolved itself. And that’s still TBD. So, it’s requiring a lot of patience,“ DePaoli said. Her comments suggested that if Monahan delays decisions, the bank might rethink sponsoring the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, Wells Fargo has announced they won’t extend their deal with the PGA Tour past 2025 for the signature event.

If the PGA Tour continues to lose sponsors, it could become a significant problem for them. Do you agree with what Greg Norman said? Has LIV been consistent and will it be there in the long run? Let us know in the comments below!