Greg Norman ‘needs to go’ if LIV, PGA Tour are to ‘mend fences,’ Rory McIlroy says
McIlroy is ranked No. 1 in the official world golf rankings
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rory McIlroy, the world’s number one golfer, has seen and heard enough from LIV Golf CEO, Greg Norman.
Ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, McIlroy outlined changes he wouldd like to see in order to bring LIV Golf and the PGA Tour to a place where conversations can begin.
Greg Norman, CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf, being introduced to the crowd during the team championship stroke-play round of the LIV Golf Invitational - Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on Oct. 30, 2022 in Doral, Florida. (Eric Espada/Getty Images)
"There's a few things that I would like to see on the LIV side that needs to happen," McIlroy said. "I think Greg needs to go. I think he needs to just 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.'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Members of the LIV Invitational and PGA Tour have engaged in a war of words through the media since LIV’s inception, with the players who chose to join LIV Golf being suspended by the PGA Tour.
Eleven LIV golfers filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour in August, with the PGA Tour filing a countersuit against LIV Golf in late September.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, waits to play a shot during the pro-am as a preview for the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Nov. 15, 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
"I think in time that can happen," McIlroy said when asked if "forgiveness" is possible. "It’s obviously been a very contentious year in golf. And I’ve said this, the best thing for golf is to have all the best players playing together. And what’s happening right now is that’s not happening. So, I fear for the game when that’s going on."
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"If all that stuff can be sorted out, one way or the other, then you can get to the stage where there’s forgiveness and people can talk and dialogue, and come to some kind of common ground or some kind of compromise," he continued. "But, again, once all this is happening, it’s very hard to do that."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was reported last week that LIV Golf was considering moving Norman "upstairs" as TaylorMade CEO Mark King was being eyed as the next CEO of the startup league.
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, speaks to the media during his pre-tournament press conference as a preview for the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Nov. 15, 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
LIV Golf denied the report, calling it "patently false."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Greg Norman is our CEO and Commissioner. Any suggestion that changes are being made to Greg's title or role is patently false," LIV's managing director Majed Al-Sorour said, via Sports Illustrated.
LIV Golf closed out its inaugural season in October and plans on expanding from eight events to 14 for the 2023 season.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report