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LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman confirmed Wednesday that the rival Saudi-backed tour did not offer a lucrative deal to recruit one of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars, Rory McIlroy, but he didn’t shut down the idea either.
In a Wednesday press conference ahead of LIV Adelaide in Australia, Norman was asked about the reports that McIlroy was offered around $850 million with a 2% equity in the organization to join LIV.
Rory McIlroy on the fifth tee during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2024, in Augusta, Georgia. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
But Norman, joined by former PGA Tour player Jon Rahm, denied the report.
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"LIV never put an offer to him," he said. "This is just typical white noise that gets out there in the industry."
"If Rory was willing to sit down and have a conversation with us, would we be happy to sit down with him? 100% – no different than any other player who would be interested in coming on and playing with us."
McIlroy also denied the report during last week's 2024 RBC Heritage, a statement that came just days before it was revealed that he would be returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, from which he resigned abruptly last November.
Rory McIlroy hits a tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 21, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
"I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think that it's something for me. Doesn’t mean that I judge people that have went and played over there," he said at the time.
"I think one of the things I've realized over the past two years is that people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that? But, personally for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it's never been any different."
McIlroy’s softened stance on the rival tour comes amid the PGA Tour’s continued talks with the DP World Tour and LIV for a potential partnership.
Greg Norman during day two of the LIV Golf Invitational - Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on March 2, 2024, in Saudi Arabia. (Francois Nel/Getty Images)
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Norman expressed his confidence in LIV on Wednesday, and similar to McIlroy, expressed no hard feelings between the two tours.
"It's understanding the facts about what LIV represents and what LIV can deliver on a global basis – that’s up to you to determine it. I've sat down with one top, top PGA Tour player in his house with another member of my team, walking through the whole process, and he was so impressed – he said, ‘Well, that's not what we're told in the locker room. This is really impressive.’ But he made the decision. He called me up two days later and said, ‘I've decided to stay where I'm at.’ I said, 'Happy days. You made a decision on fact. If you're happier over here, fine, stay there. Your door is always open. If you want to come back and have a conversation with us, happy to do that.'"
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