LIV Golf News: Greg Norman’s Dream Run Cut Short as $10.8M Nightmare Strikes

Was LIV Golf a stolen concept? According to Premium Golf League (PGL), yes it was. The arch-rival of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour started in 2022 but its foundation was laid back in 2021 when the PGL contacted Golf Saudi, a part of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But as the PGL failed to succeed, the Saudis looked to start their own league.

It has been a successful ride for the PIF-backed breakaway league, however, while fighting with the PGA Tour in a legal battle and having acquired a lawsuit over the logo from Adidas, the breakaway circuit has to settle their woes with the PGL as well. It seems like a rocky road, but it may come to an end soon.

LIV Golf offers $10.8 million settlement money to PGL

The Times reported that the UK-based PGL was the brainchild of Andrew Gardiner (a former corporate finance lawyer) who was planning to debut the league in 2022 with a €183 million total prize pool at the same time when LIV Golf inaugurated its season. The league was supposed to have 48 players, 12 teams of four pros, a shotgun start, and no cut, the innovative concept LIV Golf closely resembles.

However, before LIV Golf’s existence, Gardiner proposed this concept to the DP World Tour and Rory McIlroy in 2020, but he was rejected as the European League shook hands with the PGA Tour for the strategic alliance. On the other hand, Golf Saudi which had been contacted by Gardiner started to fund LIV Golf Investments under Greg Norman’s leadership in 2021. Moreover, the marketing company of LIV Golf, Performance54 had acquired two key players from PGL’s roster; The senior executive, Richard Marshal, and the former PGL director, John Lofhaggen.

Although the role of the two seems unclear in the dispute, it can be assumed that they would’ve played a major role in LIV’s success. Nonetheless, the idea of Gardiner was getting implemented by LIV Golf, and despite all, the dispute is supposed to be settled outside the courts. The Time reveals, it is a dispute about intellectual properties and could be settled for well over €10 million ($10.8 million).

However, PGL had initially requested compensation of around €50 million privately, though that has been diluted to the new amount. The breakaway league has not commented on the dispute with PGL as ever. The settlement is reported to be done in confidentiality and may not disclose the deal in clarity. While the dispute may get settled, did the owner of the PGL ever feel the unfairness of his situation?

Andrew Gardiner talks after LIV Golf resembled his proposed concept

It could be a no-brainer that LIV Golf was inspired by Gardiner’s concept. Though, recently the 12 teams and 48 players concept of LIV Golf has changed to 13 teams after Jon Rahm’s addition and 54 players as they have added new faces. Despite that, the pioneer behind it thinks LIV Golf has been proof of his revolutionary concept.

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Gardiner while talking to Today’s Golfer was asked if he was angry or jealous that LIV Golf had stolen his idea. He said, “I’m not angry at all. We see [LIV] as a testament to us because it is, for all intent and purposes, the same format that we devised.” With the legal dispute getting settled soon, Gardiner may take a breath of relief as he will get his dues for the innovative concept. However, LIV Golf will have another dispute to cater to even after the story with PGL ends.

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