Nine-time major winner Gary Player believes Greg Norman has a vendetta against the PGA Tour which stems from his failed bid to launch a world tour in 1994.
Player hates the nonsense surrounding the ongoing feud between the Saudi backed tour and the PGA Tour and feels Norman still bears a grudge from his failed attempt to create a 40-player and eight event tour in the nineties.
The South African now feels that Norman’s bitterness has clouded his judgement regarding some of the decisions he has made as LIV Golf CEO.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Player said: “Greg has basically had a vendetta against the PGA Tour for a long time.
“He wanted to start a world tour [in the Nineties] and was deprived of it. He’s been a bit bitter about that. I get on very well with Greg but I think he has let it creep into some of these decisions, which I think is a pity.”
Player went on to admit that while he does not “blame” the golfers who made the jump to LIV, he does not believe they should ever be “allowed to come back and play regular tournaments”. He added: “I don’t blame those who went.
“Most who left do not believe they can win on the regular tour any more. Louis Oosthuizen is probably the finest gentleman I’ve met in golf and he’s never won a tournament in America, so of course he’s going to take their money.
“Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith, I was surprised they took the money but that’s their choice. But I believe once you’ve decided that’s your tour, you should not be allowed to come back and play regular tournaments. I don’t like 54-hole tournaments, nor the team side of it.
“Personally I think you shouldn’t be allowed to dress in shorts either. But the freedom to choose is important. The thing that irks me is it’s become a damn war. Can’t stand it.”
Leave a comment