adminLONDON. — Greg Norman must quit as commissioner of the breakaway LIV Golf Tour to end the “stalemate” in golf’s acrimonious civil war, says Rory McIlroy.
The world number one is at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai where he is in pole position to land the European tour’s order of merit title for the fourth time. But the future of the men’s game remains firmly on McIlroy’s mind.
“Greg needs to go. He needs to exit stage left,” said the 33-year-old.
“He’s made his mark but I think now is the right time to say you’ve got this thing off the ground but no one’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.”
Calling for Norman to step down is one of the Northern Irishman’s strongest comments in the battle between the established tours and the new LIV circuit.
LIV are locked in separate legal cases against the PGA and DP World Tours. McIlroy, who has previously called for both sides to thrash out a solution, believes that is impossible at the moment. “There are obviously two lawsuits going on at the minute,” McIlroy said. “There’s the PGA Tour versus LIV and there’s obviously this one that’s coming up with the DP World Tour in February.
“Nothing can happen if those two things are going on.
“Right now it is a bit of a stalemate.”
Last week LIV denied a report in the Daily Telegraph that former world number one Norman would be replaced by Mark King who was in charge of club manufacturer Taylormade before moving to a senior position with fast food outlet Taco Bell. This followed rumours that Norman would step aside having launched the lucrative tour which has staged eight US$25m invitational tournaments this year. Having lured the likes of Open champion Cameron Smith and other major winners, including Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, LIV are planning a 14 event super league next year.
February’s legal hearing will determine whether European players such as Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will be banned from the DP World Tour.
It should also sort out the thorny issue of Ryder Cup selection, with the biennial competition starting in late September in Rome. As it stands American LIV recruits are likely to be banned from playing.
The Saudi Arabian-funded circuit are promising to make a raft of new signings by the end of this year. The introduction of the LIV Tour has prompted the PGA Tour to increase prize funds and the American-based circuit will introduce a series of US$20m tournaments for the world’s best players next year. — BBC Sport
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