Two years into LIV Golf’s existence, the Saudi-backed league has featured a ton of tough talk and bravado from CEO Greg Norman and, well, not much else.
LIV finally got a television deal this year, and the ratings are absolutely awful. No one really cares about the league’s team concept. And, sure, the mega signing bonuses given out to the biggest names who defected to LIV were eye-popping, but it turns out players will reportedly be charged up to four times that initial payment if they even think about breaking their contract.
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On Monday at Augusta National, Cameron Smith — the highest-rated player on the LIV Golf roster — even scrapped the very strict company talking points.
“I’ll be the first one to say, the fields aren’t as strong. I’m the first one to say that,” Smith said. “But we’ve still got a lot of guys that can play some really serious golf.”
That was far from the most revealing moment among Smith’s comments, however.
On Sunday, Norman continued to hype up LIV Golf by telling the The Daily Telegraph that the 18 LIV players at the 2023 Masters will storm the 18th green if one of them wins the tournament.
“They’ve said that if one of them wins then the other 17 will hang around and be there to congratulate him around the 18th green,” Norman said per Golfweek. “Could you imagine what a scene that would be, all these players hugging the winner.”
You know who couldn’t imagine it? Cameron Smith.
The LIV golfer with the best odds to win a green jacket this year has no clue what Norman is talking about.
“I definitely got left out on that one.” Smith said when asked about a celebration that would certainly break any number of Augusta’s (extremely strict) rules.
“Funnily enough, I haven’t been invited,” Norman told the Telegraph. “As a major winner I always was before, but they only sent me a grounds pass last year and nothing, zilch, this time around. I’m disappointed because it’s so petty but, of course, I’ll still be watching.”
You have to believe Norman here, unfortunately. No one knows more about petty than him.