'I Pay Zero Attention To McIlroy And Woods' - Greg Norman

Greg Norman has hit out at PGA Tour stars Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, after both made comments about the LIV Golf CEO, telling him he has ‘got to leave’ (opens in new tab) if both Tours are going to be able to co-exist and ‘talk freely,’ which Woods has said isn’t possible at the moment.

“Not right now. Not with their leadership. Not with Greg there and his animosity towards the Tour itself. I don’t see that happening. As Rory said and I said it as well, Greg’s got to leave.” (opens in new tab)

Now, in an exclusive interview with Today's Golfer (opens in new tab), Norman has issued a response to the pair, advising them both that he isn't going anywhere and will continue to be with the breakaway League for a ‘long period of time’, and he will continue to not listen. 

“I pay zero attention to McIlroy and Woods, right?” stated Norman. “They have their agenda for whatever reason. They're saying whatever they want to say. It has no bearing or effect on me. I'm going to be with LIV for a long, long period of time.”

The Aussie’s comments arrived on the back of an onslaught by both players after LIV had managed to persuade several of the PGA Tour’s top stars to jump ship onto the Saudi backed circuit for a slightly quieter schedule and a higher financial package.

It is the way that Norman and his Circuit portray themselves that is the burning issue with current PGA Tour stalwarts, alongside the ongoing court cases which were filed by both sides. (opens in new tab)

“I see that there's an opportunity out there if both organizations put a stay on their litigation,'' Woods said Tuesday at the Hero World Challenge (opens in new tab), where he is the event's host. 

“But that's the problem -- they've got to put a stay on it. And whether or not they do that, there's no willingness to negotiate if you have a litigation against you. So if they both have a stay and then have a break and then they can meet and figure something out, then maybe there is something to be had. 

"I think Greg has to go, first of all, and then obviously litigation against us and then our countersuit against them, those would then have to be at a stay as well. So then we can talk, we can all talk freely.”

The 15-time major winner’s comments mirrored those of his friend and colleague, Rory McIlroy (opens in new tab), who discussed similar feelings during a press conference at the DP World Tour Championship last month.

“I think there's a few things that need to happen, '' said McIlroy. “So there's obviously two lawsuits going on at the minute -- there's PGA Tour versus LIV, and there's this one that's coming up with the DP World Tour in February. Nothing will happen if those two things are still going on, especially -- yeah, you're limited in what you can do.

“And then I think from whatever happens with those two things, there's a few things that I would like to see on the LIV side that needs to happen. I think Greg needs to go. I think he just needs to exit stage left. He's made his mark, but I think now is the right time to sort of say, look, you've got this thing off the ground, but no one is going to talk unless there's an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.”

Norman has confirmed that all of his ideas are correct and has backed himself as doing a ‘solid job’ at the helm of LIV Golf. The 67-year-old also believes he can be the one to fix the current turmoil. (opens in new tab)

“Of course it can happen under my leadership," Norman claimed. "I mean, Tiger might be a messenger, right? Who knows. All I know is we are going to keep doing what we're doing with LIV, and we are just going to keep moving forward."

In fact, the two-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer says he is doing a solid job running LIV: “No matter where I go in the world, nobody -- not one person -- has said what I'm doing is stupid or wrong,” explained the Australian.

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