via Imago
Source Credit: IMAGO
via Imago
Source Credit: IMAGO
A lot has happened in the golf world. From the inception of LIV Golf in 2021 to the announcement of the delay in the deadline of the framework agreement, the sport has seen a lot of drama. Meanwhile, one aspect stands out during the entire ordeal: the PGA Tour’s animosity towards Greg Norman. But the Australian has not much to worry about. Even Yasir Al-Rumayyan agrees!
The presence of the Great White Shark would inevitably prove to be nothing short of a risk for Jay Monahan, who advocated the former’s exit from the final deal. However, it seems the governor of the Public Investment Fund had already chosen his poison, refusing to fire the CEO of LIV Golf even if it meant bringing peril to Monahan’s future in the alliance!
Yasir Al-Rumayyan chooses Greg Norman amidst dissent
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When the first draft of the framework agreement supposedly sought the termination of the entrepreneur, the Saudi Aramco Chairperson reportedly made sure to remove the clause as he sent a reply to the PGA Tour commissioner. Why, you ask? One can reason it to just business, as sacking Norman would indubitably “send shock waves through every company Al-Rumayyan governs and their executive teams.”
Bob “Golf” Ball shared a post on his X handle, painting an obvious picture of why the Saudi businessman supposedly refused the demand, all the while dubbing it a “golden rule of business.” Adding on, he pointed out how “terminating Norman would cause Al-Rumayyan to instantly lose credibility and support throughout all PIF’s companies, leadership teams, and investments.” He can fire him if there are ways to go around the same. However, if there aren’t any, letting go of the shark would undoubtedly cause harm to PIF.
As we said, it’s just business. Maybe a little bit of personal too, since, as per reports, the commissioner of PGAT was again refused a second time when he suggested “a side agreement.” Building something up together from square one does elicit some form of friendship and trust between Rumayyan and Norman. It looks like the 53-year-old would not let the latter go, even if it spells trouble for Monahan’s future post-merger, leading to a chance for the 1993 Open Championship winner “running the whole show” after everything transpires.
When the PGA Tour sent the first draft of the Framework Agreement to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, it had a clause saying Greg Norman and Performance 54 were to be terminated after the parties signed the final deal.
Just prior, Jimmy Dunne and Ed Herlihy wrote to each other about Jay… pic.twitter.com/KNvVsEaJqH— Bob “Golf” Ball (@BobBallPdx) January 8, 2024
What about Norman, then? Even he wasn’t too worried about getting sacked, as the ex-pro golfer was visibly without worries when speculation of his sacking made the rounds in the golf world.
Norman’s response to possible firing
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While all was being said and done, the Aussie was seemingly unconcerned as he said, “There’s so much white noise floating around out there that I actually paid zero attention to.” Moreover, the former golfer expressed his confidence by mentioning how he “was never in any fear of anybody saying anything or any animus” rising against himself during the whole process.
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Adding on, he also made it clear and insisted that even after the deal with the PGA Tour is done, LIV Golf would remain a “standalone entity.” Nevertheless, he was extremely hopeful of the deal being a successful one, as he once indicated how it should take place “in some way, shape or form.” Well, the community does agree with him on this one.
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Al-Rumayyan backing Norman up does make a lot of sense when one looks at the journey that the two have been through together in the sport of golf, launching a new circuit while resisting the opposition that the consensus threw at them. Regardless, it seems the future still holds more for the Australian shark.
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