News

Report claims that Greg Norman is set to be dropped by Saudi-backed LIV Golf

Published

4 years ago

May 17, 2022

Greg Norman has had a headline making year, with the Australian spearheading the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series and even attempting, and failing, to get a special exemption to compete in the 2022 Open Championship.

Related: Greg Norman takes swipe at R&A on social media over Open Championship snub

The two-time major winner has most recently received a barrage of criticism for comments where he seemingly attempted to play down the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi – who was was killed by Saudi agents in Istanbul in 2018.

Related: ‘Go **** yourself Shark’ – Major champ’s scathing attack on Greg Norman

Speaking at a LIV Golf press conference last week, Norman stated:

“From what I heard and what you guys reported just take ownership of what it is. Take ownership no matter what it is. Look, we’ve all made mistakes, and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward.”

Those comments were slammed by many, including Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz, who branded the 67-year-old’s words as “so hurtful” in response.

Now, the Australian’s chaotic tenure as the frontman for LIV Golf may well be coming to an end, according to a report from the man who blew the whistle on Phil Mickelson’s bombshell Saudi comments that sent the 2021 PGA Champ into an ongoing exile.

Alan Shipnuck, whose unauthorised biography on Mickelson is released this week, has claimed that a Tour agent has told him that Norman’s days are numbered with the Saudi-backed group.

In a recent Q&A on The Fire Pit Collective, Shipnuck made the claim, while musing that the potential departure of Norman may well have factored into Mickelson’s decision to pass on defending his title this week at Southern Hills:

“A prominent Tour agent recently confided that he is hearing Norman is on the outs with the Saudis, which would be another wild development in this saga.

If a leadership change is imminent with LIV Golf, that would be all the more reason for Mickelson to pass on the PGA Championship and take more time to assess a chaotic situation.”

In a separate piece on The Fire Pit Collection, Michael Bamberger revealed that Jack Nicklaus had been targeted to undertake the role that Norman has been doing, but that the Golden Bear twice turned down the lucrative offer:

“I was offered something in excess of $100 million by the Saudis, to do the job probably similar to the one that Greg is doing,” Nicklaus said per the article. “I turned it down. Once verbally, once in writing. I said ‘Guys, I have to stay with the PGA Tour. I helped start the PGA Tour.'”

The opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series is scheduled to take place at Centurion, near London, next month. It remains to be seen if Norman will still be in charge by then.

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at gianni@golfwrx.com

34 Comments

Pingback: Report: LIV COO resigned from role following heated argument – GolfWRX
geohogan

May 18, 2022 at 4:30 pm

Jack Nicklaus once again demonstrates why he is the G.O.A.T.
Most majors, most runnerups in majors and character to back it up.

Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  May 18, 2022 at 5:15 pm
  
  But he’s been working for the Saudis……
  
  Reply Report comment
- JoAnn
  
  Aug 4, 2022 at 2:02 pm
  
  Greg Norman thinks he’s King of LIV.
  He’s a A##hole. NOT letting in Daly, and I’m done buying anything that has the SHARK on it !!!
  
  Reply Report comment
benseattle

May 18, 2022 at 3:15 pm

If true, good riddance. For some thirty years, Greg Norman has preened before the world….all the while continuing to harbor a seething grudge against the PGA Tour. His seedy association with the Saudi fund isn’t designed to “grow the game” but is, instead, a vehicle intending to use massive Middle East oil money to lure clueless and/or naïve and/or uncaring golfers whose main concern is not about history but Cash Only. And, to be sure, they’ll get a few. Poaching PGA Tour players to compete in LIV Golf events will only serve to weaken the U.S. tournaments so why would commissioner Jay Monahan give them free rein to go and then come back? NOBODY is stopping any golfer to join the LIV tour but the bylaws — that they agreed to — stipulate that the door only swings one way. And while on the subject, what about the dozens of charities that could be devastated if LIV Golf is successful in siphoning off top players? Norman’s backers have no charity component; it’s all about stuffing dollars bills into the pockets of athletes with the sole intention of using sport as a cover for their various human rights abuses. You thought Norman’s 1996 Masters was bad? How about the humiliation if he’s deemed too toxic for the Saudi regime?

Reply Report comment
- geohogan
  
  May 20, 2022 at 3:12 pm
  
  Narcissist Norman, was the “bait and switch” front man for MBS.
  
  Reply Report comment
Tom Kay

May 18, 2022 at 1:16 pm

Greg has always been wound up tight. Ego is not your amigo.

Reply Report comment
Mrgeek33

May 18, 2022 at 11:07 am

I don’t care how much money they throw at it… I give it a year and it’ll be gone. Just like pretty much every other league that tries to compete with the Major leagues. XFL type of thing. There’s just not enough competition especially when you only have 16 of the top 100 players. Most of whom are washed up or at the end of their careers. Who wants to watch that?

Reply Report comment
Dave

May 18, 2022 at 9:28 am

Greg Norman, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Phil Mickelson are scum. Bunch of racist, disgusting fools who have no place in golf. The PGA has to remove these idiots from all the history books and venues.

Such a dark day for the PGA to have these racist disgusting old pieces of garbage as part of their history.

I hope all countries ban them from playing in any tournament.

Reply Report comment
- geohogan
  
  May 24, 2022 at 11:24 am
  
  Next slave owner George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
  
  America was build by genocide (50+ million indigenous people of Western hemisphere) and slavery. Understand you would want to selectively erase history.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Thomas Woodward
  
  Jul 27, 2022 at 8:39 pm
  
  WOW Dave, you’ve really flew off the handle with those statements. Are you an indoctro-procto syndrome suffer and mom and dad are going to banish you from the basement, or did you just find out ANTIFA is not going to give you a field commander position so you can quite your fry-cook job at Mc D’s? Either way, YOU GOT problems between the ears…
  
  Reply Report comment
Michael

May 18, 2022 at 9:19 am

What goes around comes around. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

The boy king and his cohorts are getting what they deserve – embarrassment and ridicule – for hiring a clown with an ego bigger than their oil output.

I wonder if Bin Salaman or whatever the correct spelling is, will have someone whacked like they did with Kashoggi’s killers in order to try and have plausible denial for his screw up. Yet another one in a long line since this guy convinced the King tomato him the heir and CEO

Reply Report comment
White Hall

May 18, 2022 at 12:12 am

LIV it up homeboy!

Reply Report comment
Chismgism

May 17, 2022 at 9:32 pm

Gas shortage, baby formula shortage, food shortage… all caused by a leadership shortage. High prices, high taxes, high crime, high world tensions… all caused by His highness lyin Joe Biden.

Reply Report comment
- geohogan
  
  May 20, 2022 at 3:16 pm
  
  dont forget covid 19, climate change, melting arctic, full moon,
  monkey pox and your dogs itchy balls
  
  Reply Report comment
Bob

May 17, 2022 at 5:56 pm

I heard Gary Player is an easy sellout who will do it for 50 million.

Reply Report comment
John mac

May 17, 2022 at 4:37 pm

But somehow, it,s ok to send billions of dollars worth of golf equipment, I mean weapons? MAGA double standard, me thinks.

Reply Report comment
- Oldlefty70
  
  May 17, 2022 at 5:46 pm
  
  I don’t believe you do any real critical thinking…you must be a Biden zombie using this article about Greg Norman to take a mindless jab at Trump and the MAGA crowd!! Your man Joe embraced and approved of the Beijing Olympics….and you are o.k. with that…and you think corrupt dementia Joe is pure as the driven snow!!?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Bob
  
  May 17, 2022 at 6:00 pm
  
  How many wars did Trump start during his 4 years? How many did he even incite?
  
  That’s what I thought. Get that TDS checked.
  
  Trump is not in their Big Club. That’s why no war and no MIC welfare. Get yourself ready for the draft for Ukr so the Quid Pro Big Guy can get his 10 and keep himself and his junkie son out of jail.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - AnnoyedWithYourDumbAss
    
    May 17, 2022 at 7:24 pm
    
    JFC you’re a fking idiot. Trump incited rebellion on his own government, used the National Guard on peaceful protestors while he cowered like a bitch in a bunker, taunted PDRK mercilessly, caused China to threaten the immediate calling on massive debts due to huge tariffs then further incited with “China virus” comments. You just ball wash Trump so much and suck up to Fox News blowhards that you’ve turned into a sheep.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Arthur Jones
      
      Aug 9, 2022 at 1:02 pm
      
      You’re entitled to your own idiocy but not your own facts. You don’t incite a rebellion by asking people to go home. All your cringeworthy criticisms are based on methods. You invective is devoid of substance. He taunted North Korea? what became of that? Oh right, Nothing. Retaliatory tariffs? Yes, it’s called a trade war but in fairness, I wouldn’t expect a braindead troglodyte like you to understand strategic macroeconomics. The greatest irony in your post is calling other people sheep right after regurgitating corporate media’s propaganda conflating a protest with an insurrection. The definition of a useful idiot.
      
      Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  May 18, 2022 at 5:17 pm
  
  Exactly. The red hat brigade pick and chose without reason because they ain’t smart enough to reason.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - John
    
    Aug 5, 2022 at 1:43 pm
    
    That should be ‘picked and chose’. You shouldn’t be telling anyone they aren’t smart.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Drkviol801
  
  May 20, 2022 at 5:23 am
  
  TRUMPS FAULT FOR GAS PRICES, #SLAVAUKRAINA BLACK LIVES MATTER , LIBS LOVE KILLING BABIES !
  
  Reply Report comment
Pingback: ‘You have to earn it’ – Tiger shows no sympathy for Mickelson while firmly backing PGA Tour – GolfWRX
Glenn

May 17, 2022 at 2:45 pm

Let them play there. No reason they have to let them play on the PGA tour, their choice

Reply Report comment
Pingback: Report claims that Greg Norman is set to be dropped by Saudi-backed LIV Golf - PostoLink
Brain Damage

May 17, 2022 at 1:26 pm

It seems incredibly petty that golfers who belong to the PGA or the European tour are not being allowed (released) to play in this league. This is not the NBA, MLB, or NFL. This is freaking golf. These golfers are like independent contractors. If they want to go play in XYZ League or tournament they should be more than allowed to do as they please. Absolutely ridiculous. .

Reply Report comment
- Jack
  
  May 17, 2022 at 7:01 pm
  
  You got the independent bit correct, yet ignored the contractor bit. Everyone on the PGA signs a contract of exclusivity to the PGA tour, if the PGA says you don’t get permission that’s the risk a player MUST accept by signing the contract. Permission has never been given for any event taking place in USA.
  
  PGA isn’t banning them either, just means you can’t play on the PGA if you go to LIV.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ZFG
    
    May 18, 2022 at 9:48 am
    
    so where does “the match” phil vs tiger for $10M (not charity) fall under your permission slip rule? pretty sure that wasn’t a sanctioned pga tour event…
    
    p.s i’d be willing to bet anything you can get or borrow that if tiger played in a LIV event he would still be welcomed to play any event he chooses on the pga tour… disagree?
    
    Reply Report comment
- Kevin Ricciardelli
  
  May 18, 2022 at 11:22 am
  
  Just like Brittney Griner?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Jeff Patterson
  
  May 18, 2022 at 1:41 pm
  
  No one is stopping them from playing wherever they want , they just saying you can’t come back to the Tour that you seem to despise and can’t wait to leave . So what’s the problem ?
  
  Reply Report comment
- JP
  
  May 18, 2022 at 5:20 pm
  
  Independent contractors ?
  Imagine an independent contractor working for two competing IT firms in the same space at the same time. That’d be interesting.
  
  Reply Report comment
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Testing Lorem Ipsum

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May 13, 2026

Pro Shop

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News

2026 PGA Championship betting odds

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Scottie Scheffler leads the betting ahead of the second major championship of the year, with the World Number One a +345 favorite to get his hands on a second PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy who won the Masters back in April is a +800 shot to complete half of the calendar slam at Aronimink Golf Club this week, while Jordan Spieth can be backed at +5900 to become a career grand slam winner.

Here is the full betting board for the 2026 PGA Championship courtesy of DraftKings.

Scottie Scheffler +345 – (Check 0ut his WITB here)

Rory McIlroy +800 – (Check out his WITB here)

Jon Rahm +1300
Cameron Young +1500
Bryson DeChambeau +1700
Xander Schauffele +1850
Matt Fitzpatrick +1950
Ludvig Aberg +2000
Tommy Fleetwood +2600
Collin Morikawa +3500
Brooks Koepka +3900
Justin Rose +4300
Russell Henley +4600
Si Woo Kim +4700
Justin Thomas +4800
Robert MacIntyre +5300
Patrick Cantlay +5300
Viktor Hovland +5400
Tyrrell Hatton +5500
Jordan Spieth +5900
Sam Burns +6000
Hideki Matsuyama +6200
Adam Scott +6400
Rickie Fowler +7000
Chris Gotterup +7400
Patrick Reed +7400
Min Woo Lee +7800
Ben Griffin +8000
Sepp Straka +8400
Shane Lowry +9000
Akshay Bhatia +9200
Maverick McNealy +9200
Joaquin Niemann +9200
Jake Knapp +9200
Jason Day +9600
Kurt Kitayama +10000
J.J. Spaun +10000
Harris English +10500
Nicolai Hojgaard +11000
Gary Woodland +11000
David Puig +11000
Michael Thorbjornsen +12000
Jacob Bridgeman +12000
Keegan Bradley +12500
Corey Conners +14000
Alex Fitzpatrick +15000
Sungjae Im +15500
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Harry Hall +15500
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Thomas Detry +16500
Marco Penge +16500
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Sam Stevens +17500
Keith Mitchell +17500
Daniel Berger +18500
Ryan Gerard +20000
Nick Taylor +20000
Rasmus Hojgaard +21000
Dustin Johnson +21000
Pierceson Coody +23000
Aaron Rai +24000
Jordan Smith +24000
Angel Ayora +24000
Bud Cauley +25000
Matt McCarty +26000
Jayden Schaper +26000
Brian Harman +27000
Taylor Pendrith +27000
Ryan Fox +27000
J.T. Poston +27000
Cameron Smith +29000
Ryo Hisatsune +29000
Michael Kim +29000
Max Homa +29000
Denny McCarthy +29000
Tom McKibbin +30000
Rico Hoey +32000
Matt Wallace +32500
Ricky Castillo +33000
Haotong Li +33000
Michael Brennan +34000
Max Greyserman +36000
Stephan Jaeger +37500
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +37500
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Aldrich Potgieter +40000
Andrew Novak +42000
Patrick Rodgers +42500
Daniel Hillier +42500
Max McGreevy +46000
Billy Horschel +48000
Chris Kirk +48000
Ian Holt +49000
Casey Jarvis +49000
William Mouw +50000
Steven Fisk +50000
John Parry +50000
Nico Echavarria +52500
Garrick Higgo +52500
John Keefer+55000
Matthias Schmid +57500
Austin Smotherman +57500
Sami Valimaki +60000
Andrew Putnam +60000
Lucas Glover +62500
Daniel Brown +62500
Jhonattan Vegas +75000
Emiliano Grillo +80000
Mikael Lindberg +85000
Adrien Saddier +100000
Bernd Wiesberger +100000
Elvis Smylie +110000
Stewart Cink +130000
Kota Kaneko +130000
David Lipsky +150000
Chandler Blanchet +150000
Andy Sullivan +150000
Joe Highsmith +180000
Adam Schenk +200000
Travis Smyth +200000
Davis Riley +225000
Martin Kaymer +400000
Brian Campbell +400000
Padraig Harrington +450000
Kazuki Higa +450000
Jordan Gumberg +450000
Ryan Vermeer +500000
Austin Hurt +500000
Tyler Collet +500000
Timothy Wiseman +500000
Shaun Micheel +500000
Y.E. Yang +500000
Michael Block+500000
Mark Geddes+500000
Luke Donald+500000
Bryce Fisher+500000
Jimmy Walker +500000
Jason Dufner +500000
Jesse Droemer +500000
Jared Jones +500000
Garrett Sapp +500000
Francisco Bide +500000
Zach Haynes +500000
Paul McClure+500000
Derek Berg +500000
Chris Gabriele +500000
Braden Shattuck +500000
Ben Polland +500000
Ben Kern +50000

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.