Greg Norman fires warning to under-performing LIV stars

Greg Norman has told the players in danger of relegation from the LIV Golf League this year that it’s now or never if they want to retain their playing rights for 2025.

Following this week’s event at the JCB Golf & Country Club in England, only two regular-season events remain on the Saudi-funded circuit’s 2024 schedule.

Only the top-24 players on the season-long standings – as well as the 15 contracted team captains – are guaranteed to return for next year. The players who finished 25th to 48th become free agents, with those finishing 49th and worse being relegated out of the league.

They will have one final opportunity to win back their status via the LIV Golf Promotions event at the end of the year.

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As things stand, Scott Vincent, Kalle Samooja, Branden Grace and Kieran Vincent occupying the Drop Zone spaces just now.

Bubba Watson is in there, too, but, as the captain of RangeGoats GC, the two-time Masters champion safe from relegation.

Pat Perez and Harold Varner III find themselves flirting with the trap door, as do Mito Pereira and Jinichiro Kozuma.

According to Norman, those players need to get a wriggle on if they want to continue to be part of the league.

“We are in the meat and bones of the season,” said the Aussie during the broadcast at JCB.

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“Players know there is relegation coming up and things are going to change up very quickly… These guys who are on the edge have got to pull their socks up and get themselves going.”

The CEO and commissioner of the LIV Golf League added that there are several players looking to join his circuit next season.

“We knew that we had to create this pathway of opportunity for the next generation,” he said. “There are players out there with FOMO [fear of missing out] right now. They want to get in.

“So the players who are in know that there’s that FOMO wanting to get in, and they don’t want to get out.

“I see the intensity on the driving ranges. Each and every day, practice round, first round, even this morning you can see it elevating.”

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Head of Content