While speaking at his pre-tournament press conference for this week’s DP World Tour event, Rory McIlroy took yet another shot at LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman.
The current world number one has been outspoken in his criticism of Norman, but his latest suggestion that he steps down as CEO and saying LIV needs “an adult in the room” certainly takes matters to the next level.
McIlroy told media on Tuesday morning:
“I think Greg [Norman] needs to go, he needs to exit stage left. Look, he’s made his mark but now is the right time to say ‘look, you’ve got this thing [LIV Golf] off the ground but nobody is going to talk unless there is an adult in the room who can actually try to mend fences.”
Recently, McIlroy has said that he believes the PGA Tour and LIV Golf need to find a way to co-exist in the game.
“I believe there is no more time to waste… PGA Tour and LIV will have to find a compromise and speak for the sake of our sport. I don’t know when this can happen, certainly not tomorrow, but of course we will have to find an agreement.”
Norman has agreed with this sentiment, but views it as now being the PGA Tour’s responsibility to start dialogue with LIV considering that LIV has tried multiple times to reach out and has been unsuccessful, according to Norman.
“That is what has disappointed me the most. There was always room — always, always, always room — and there still is room for them [the PGA Tour] to sit down and understand what we have and what this is all about,” Norman said after the end of LIV Golf’s inaugural season.
“I quite honestly think the ball is in their court. It’s not in ours. We’ve tried. We’ve tried on numerous occasions, not just me personally but before I even came on board.”
There were reports last week that Norman may be replaced as CEO, but LIV released a statement strongly refuting that notion, claiming that Norman “is our CEO and Commissioner. Any suggestion that changes are being made to Greg’s title or role is patently false.”
