'We never offered that cash value to Tiger Woods' - Greg Norman backtracks on $800m LIV Golf offer talk
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Updated 19/08/2022 at 21:42 GMT
Tiger Woods is the biggest name in golf and was a target for LIV Golf. The Saudi-funded startup's CEO Greg Norman claimed recently that an offer in the region of $800 million was put to Woods. Norman has now denied that was the case, saying "media picks up on information, tid bits, white noise, and they run with it". Woods has come out in support of the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV.
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LIV Golf chief Greg Norman has rowed back on his own claim that Tiger Woods was offered a contract in the region of $800 million.
Despite his fitness issues, 15-time major winner Woods is still the biggest figure in golf.
The Saudi-funded LIV Golf has thrown huge contracts at the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka as it looks to build a foothold in the game.
The disruption caused has driven a wedge through the game, with the PGA Tour suspending all players who jumped ship.
Norman said last month that before he joined, LIV went for the biggest fish of all for a contract in the region of $800m.
“That number was out there before I became CEO,” Norman said of Woods. “That number has been out there, yes. Tiger is a needle mover. So course you got to look at the best of the best.
"They originally approached Tiger before I became CEO so yes, that number is somewhere in that neighbourhood.”
Woods has thrown his support behind the PGA Tour, and flew to Wilmington from his home in Florida this week to chair a meeting of players in a bid to find the best way to combat the threat of LIV.
With Woods’ position now well known, Norman has shifted stance and said the fee offered to arguably the greatest golfer of all time was not as high as he suggested.
"To be honest, we don’t comment on any past or current offers to any players, but obviously the media picks up on information, tid-bits, white noise, and they run with it,” Norman told foxsports.com.au.
“I just want to make sure for clarification here, the numbers that were thrown out were inclusive of future franchise value.
“And so if you take a look at this number that’s being thrown out there ... the generational wealth that this franchise opportunity has for the individual players is incredible.
“That’s how it is. It’s not the cash value. We never offered that cash value to Tiger Woods. That’s the reality of it.”
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