Rory McIlroy – Greg Norman ‘needs to go’ for LIV, PGA Tour compromise

World No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy said Tuesday that before the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Circuit can work together, one thing must happen: LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman must resign.

McIlroy, speaking to reporters ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai this week, said the sides would not compromise until Norman, a two-time Open Championship winner, is no longer the public face of the new circuit, which is being funded by Saudi -Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

“There are a couple of things I want to see happen on the LIV side that need to happen,” McIlroy said. “I think Greg has to go. I think he just has to leave the stage on the left. He’s made a name for himself, but I think now’s the right time to say, ‘Look, you got this thing off the ground, but nobody’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room who can actually try to fix fences.'”

Last week, Majed Al Sorour, CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation and head of Saudi Golf, denied a report in the Telegraph of London that Norman had been forced out of the tournament. The Telegraph reported that LIV Golf was pursuing Taco Bell CEO Mark King to replace Norman. King was previously CEO of TaylorMade and President of Adidas in North America.

The Telegraph reported that King attended several LIV golf events in his inaugural season and met with Saudi Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

“Greg Norman is our CEO and commissioner,” Al Sorour said in a statement last week. “Any suggestion that changes are made to Greg’s title or role is obviously wrong.”

In February, a Sports Resolutions UK panel will decide whether the DP World Tour can penalize its members who have competed in LIV Golf events, including Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and others.

LIV Golf and a handful of its players filed a state antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, alleging that the PGA Tour illegally suspended players from participating in LIV Golf tournaments and used its monopoly power to stifle competition. The PGA Tour filed a countersuit, alleging that LIV Golf interfered with existing contracts with its members.

“It’s obviously been a very contentious year in golf,” McIlroy said. “And I said this: The best thing about golf is that the best players play together and what’s happening isn’t happening. So I’m scared for the game if that happens.

“It’s controversial because there are lawsuits and people are suing people; it’s very, very messy. So if all of these things can be sorted out one way or another, you can get to that stage where there is forgiveness and people can have dialogue and come to some kind of common ground or compromise. But while all this is happening, it is very difficult to do this.