“I’m a disruptor” - Greg Norman gets candid about PGA Tour’s ‘outsider’ CEO appointment

Greg Norman was replaced by Scott O’Neil as LIV Golf CEO earlier this year. Despite losing his big role, the Aussie veteran seems happy to have caused ‘disruption’ in the golf world. The 70-year-old, speaking in a recent podcast, addressed the PGA Tour decision to bring in former NFL media business chief Brian Rolapp as the circuit’s new CEO.

Norman, who played a major role in bringing LIV Golf to life, said he ‘don’t even know the guy’ while talking about Rolapp. However, he applauded PGA Tour’s decision to make the big change and dubbed it a “good shift.” The World Golf Hall of Famer claimed that the ‘shift only happened’ because of LIV’s actions. Taking credit for the PGA’s move, the 20-time Tour winner called himself a ‘disruptor’ who ‘see weaknesses.’

Speaking about Brian Rolapp’s new PGA Tour CEO role on the latest ‘Straight Talk’ podcast episode, Greg Norman said:

“They brought in an outsider from the NFL, Brian Rolapp to restructure the PGA Tour to some degree. From what I’m seeing, I don’t even know the guy. Don’t even know any of the policies, but what I’m seeing is there’s this shift taking place… That shift is great. A good shift. It’s a good shift. But that shift only happened because of what LIV did… I’m a disruptor. I see weaknesses.”

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Greg Norman claims PGA Tour was 'unfair to the players'

Furthermore, Greg Norman claimed that the PGA Tour’s old structure was “unfair to the players.” This came after he stated joining hands with LIV Golf to help players make “generational wealth.”

He added:

“It was unfairness. It was unfair to the players… Not just to Greg Norman in the day, but to everybody. You think if Jack Nicklaus had his own IP, when he first came out there and Arnold Palmer, they’d be billionaires… And yet, here today, the institutions are making a lot of money. Now, with LIV, I gave the players that opportunity, and look at what’s happened to the PGA Tour.”

The two-time major champion winner claimed that the LIV officials were “trying to work within the ecosystem” to provide a ‘counterbalance’ for the heavyweight PGA. He claimed that the move worked and he ‘proved it right.’ Norman also credited LIV for growing the competition while providing freedom for PGA Tour golfers.

The Ex-LIV chief addressed the reported Three billion dollars private equity investment in the circuit. He further indirectly lauded himself and the breakaway Saudi tour for PGA players controlling the policy board and ‘controlling their own destiny.’

However, Norman went on to claim having no interest in the future of the much-anticipated LIV Golf-PGA Tour deal. He revealed that he “don’t know” and “don’t care” if the two rival circuits join hands in the future.

Edited by Vishnu Mohan