Bryson DeChambeau details Greg Norman chat about PGA Tour deal

Bryson DeChambeau insists LIV Golf boss Greg Norman is unperturbed despite the shock deal that has left a precarious future for the Saudi-backed breakaway series.

DeChambeau has told Golf Digest that LIV CEO and commissioner Norman is remaining spirited despite his future in golf’s ecosystem appearing to be in serious doubt.

The sovereign wealth fund that has bankrolled LIV has agreed to join forces with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour in a completely unforeseen ceasefire between the sport’s warring factions.

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A framework agreement that effectively sees Saudi Arabia control men’s professional golf at the highest level has prompted more questions than answers, none more so than the impact on the LIV enterprise.

Saudi Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan – chair of the new for-profit joint entity – revealed that Norman had only been informed of the news hours before the announcement was made.

Norman, who has fronted LIV ever since that surreal inaugural event at Centurion 12 months ago – seems to have been snubbed in the top-secret talks and was conspicuously not named in the ambiguous 1,030 word statement explaining the surprise union.

But Sports Illustrated claimed that Norman has told his LIV employees that it is very much business as usual with planning already under way for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

That is despite the fact the same outlet was told by the key architect behind the merger, PGA Tour independent director Jimmy Dunne, that Jay Monahan would have the power to disband LIV in his new role as the entity’s chief executive.

DeChambeau is one of the only players willing to entertain the merger talk before this week’s US Open and revealed that he had a conversation with Norman about the plans.

“He seems spry and happy,” DeChambeau said. “He’s just like, ‘Keep your head down buddy and ignore what a lot of people are saying.'”

Dustin Johnson stated this week that LIV executives are already organising their 2024 schedule before confirming he had spoken to Al-Rumayyan, who had assurances that another LIV season will go ahead.

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And DeChambeau corroborated Johnson’s comments as he looks forward to a “global” future for the team golf concept.

“That is what was talked about,” he said. “Those are private conversations and I don’t know exactly what (Al-Rumayyan’s) future plans are, because he was right about to go on CNBC, but he had a couple other cool ideas that I think could be interesting for the game of golf.

“We’ll see if it all happens because you’ve still got to dial in the details. I don’t want to speak for him. But he did tell me something that could be a big global event that could be really cool.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.