LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has called Tiger Woods a ‘mouthpiece for the PGA Tour’ to continue a high-profile row between the two icons.
Woods and Norman find themselves on opposite sides of golf’s battle between the long-established PGA Tour and Saudi-backed breakaway series LIV.
Last year, a number of top golfers were suspended by the PGA Tour after accepting lucrative deals to sign up for LIV’s new-look golf league.
After turning down a high nine-figure offer to join LIV, 15-time Major winner Woods has led the PGA Tour fightback along with current world No.1 Rory McIlroy.
Most recently, both Woods and McIlroy called on Norman to quit his role as LIV’s leader so the two sides can find a resolution.
“I think Greg has to go, first of all,” Woods said at the Hero World Challenge in December.
“And then obviously litigation against us and then our countersuit against them, those would then have to be at a stay as well.
“So then we can talk, we can all talk freely.”
A number of high-ranking LIV officials have left their posts in recent weeks and Norman’s job has been the subject of much speculation.
However, the two-time Major winner remains at the head of LIV’s operation and fired a message back at Woods in response to his comments.
“Well, I think, yeah, sad for Tiger,” Norman said on Fox News’ One Nation with Brian Kilmeade.
“You know, unfortunately he made a comment that he doesn’t know the facts about, because obviously I’m still here.
“Obviously he doesn’t control what we do with LIV. So just making those comments I think is an indication that he might be a bit of a mouthpiece for the PGA Tour to try and get us to create, or get turmoil created internally within LIV.
“But it’s not happening. We are fully entrenched. We know where we are going. We know what we’re doing.”
LIV’s lawyers have filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour – and they intend to question Woods as an ‘alleged conspirator’.
Lawyer Larry Klayman recently claimed his team made five attempts to serve Woods with a subpoena, but the 47-year-old was not available.
“Mr. Woods, like all parties and deponents in this case, will be treated with respect. However, as of today, it would appear that Mr. Woods has little respect for our legal right to depose him,” said Klayman in a statement.
“Accepting service for depositions is common practice and Mr. Woods is no different than any other American and has no reason to keep denying service. Given his prior experiences with the law, this is unfortunate.
“As of today, the process server has attempted five (5) different times and Mr. Woods has not made himself available to accept service or have someone else accept service on his behalf. Stay tuned for more updates.”
Meanwhile, it is understood McIlroy and Davis Lowe III will both be questioned this month as part of the legal process.
LIV’s full case against the PGA Tour will not be heard until early 2024, although legal proceedings against the European-based DP World Tour are set to be concluded in February this year.
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News Summary:
- Greg Norman calls Tiger Woods a ‘mouthpiece for the PGA Tour’ after golf icon urged LIV Golf chief to quit and ‘dodged subpoena’ in legal row
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