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When Jon Rahm completed his seismic switch to LIV Golf in December, Greg Norman claimed his phone was “blowing up” and the move would create a “domino effect.”

“We probably have eight to 12 players who are very, very keen to sit down and talk to us about coming on board,” LIV’s CEO said.

The addition of Tyrrell Hatton to Rahm’s new Legion XII certainly raised eyebrows, while the DP World Tour’s Player of the Year Adrian Meronk is also set to make his LIV debut at the season-opener in Mexico this week.

But while LIV’s off-season business has caused a stir, not everyone is convinced that Norman has delivered on his expectations.

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Justin Thomas, who rejected a move to LIV after a conversation with Norman during the enterprise’s inaugural season, believes the Australian commissioner has failed to meet his targets.

“At least from what, you know, what Greg said, they haven’t gotten anything close to what he’s kind of said,” Thomas said.

“It sounded like they were going to sign 10 or 15 people this however many months and haven’t. I don’t know. I’m not just saying this. I don’t really know enough about what’s going on to even kind of give a storyline.

“I think at the end of the day the guys that are out there that are still if you want to call it kind of in their prime or can still play their best golf, I would say that their priorities are still set on the majors versus their season out there.

“I think that the storylines in my opinion will continue to be if those guys play well in major championships and win major championships. I think that’s more of a storyline I would think than they could create on that tour.”

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Thomas was speaking ahead of the PGA Tour’s second signature event of the season, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where an elite limited field of 80 players will compete for an elevated prize purse.

New LIV signing Hatton withdrew from the tournament on Tuesday before his LIV deal was announced, and Thomas was downbeat about the fiery Englishman’s exit from the US circuit.

“There’s just people that they’re going to make decisions for what they think is best,” the two-time major champion said when asked about Hatton’s defection. “I might disagree with maybe some of them, but I think at the end of the day if that’s what Tyrrell thinks is best for him, then that’s what he’s got to do.

“Obviously I’m bummed and I wish he wasn’t, but it’s not — it’s not like I’m going to call him and give him some spiel about how he shouldn’t. I hope he’s done his homework and research and feels it’s the best decision, but it is what it is I guess.”

topics

Justin Thomas LIV Golf Greg Norman Tyrrell Hatton

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.