LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman says launching a women’s circuit is at the “forefront of my mind” as he tipped the Saudi-backed breakaway men’s tour would expand beyond YouTube broadcasts next year.
Norman, whose exclusive 48-man league will come to Australia next year, has hinted a play for world golf’s best female players might be on the agenda after spending more than $1.5 billion luring elite men’s stars.
Each LIV Golf event this year has offered a $35 million purse across both individual and team events, and Norman didn’t shy away from the fact he could also pursue a women’s league in the future.
“That’s always been in the forefront of my mind to be honest with you because I have been a staunch proponent of them,” he told the Herald and The Age.
“I’ve played with a lot of LPGA players over the years and I think their value has risen recently, there’s no question about it. If there’s an opportunity for us to have an open conversation and dialogue with women, I’m very much at the forefront of that.
“Right now to be honest with you, I’m completely locked and loaded with what we’re doing because we’re launching the [men’s] league in 2023, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to get that up and running.”
LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman says a women’s tour “is at the forefront of my mind”.Credit:AP
LIV Golf has been accused of being a sports washing exercise to improve Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record, which includes the treatment of women.
But Norman has repeatedly said the game of golf can be a force for good in the kingdom, whose public investment fund is bankrolling the rebel circuit.
Norman’s next LIV event will be held in Thailand this week, with Australia’s world No.3 Cameron Smith trying to make it back-to-back wins.
The series will then head to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia before the season finale at Donald Trump’s course in Miami.
An online stream has been the only method to date of watching Smith and fellow Australians Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby compete in LIV events.
Norman is reportedly on the verge of securing a broadcast rights deal which will involve LIV paying American cable television network Fox Sports to showcase the league’s events in 2023. LIV would then sell its own commercial assets for the broadcast to make it financially viable.
But while talking about the boost LIV is expected to give Australian golf, Norman said he had been in discussions with broadcasters about showcasing LIV to a wider audience.
“We’re in discussions right now and we have a lot of NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) signed by broadcasters,” he said.
“I have an incredible broadcasting team from Europe all the way over to LA.
“The excitement level of state governments [in Australia] all the way down to club presidents is extremely high. People are very desirable of wanting to get LIV Golf there because they see it on [broadcasts] and the atmosphere.
“It’s quite honestly quintessential Australian; that team spirit, that approach and the excitement, the fan excitement and fandom we’ve developed has been infectious.
“One of the most overlooked sacrifices Australian players have to make is to leave our country to go somewhere else.
“When we left our country we only had one place to go, that was the PGA Tour. We didn’t have another choice. If we wanted to play against the best we had one option. We had to agree to their rules and regulations. We couldn’t even negotiate, it was like, ‘if you want to play here come sign this’. That was it.”
Former Masters champion Adam Scott delivered a strong defence of LIV Golf last week, claiming the league was “not just pure evil”. Scott has remained loyal to the PGA Tour so far.
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