LIV Golf chief Greg Norman makes majors plea

LIV Golf boss Greg Norman urged the majors to “stay Switzerland” amid the ongoing struggle for control of men’s professional golf.

Norman’s Saudi-backed breakaway tour has been met with resistance at the top level, with players crossing over being handed bans by the PGA Tour.

Both USGA chief Mike Whan and R&A boss Martin Slumbers have hinted that qualification criteria could change as a result of LIV’s emergence.

The rebel tour is also yet to be sanctioned to receive world ranking points.

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However, in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Norman urged the four marquee events and OWGR – the body responsible for the rankings – to remain neutral.

He pointed to last week’s BMW PGA Championship, reduced to 54 holes after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, as a reason for LIV to be awarded points.

“With all due respect to the passing of The Queen, but be consistent. They’ve done it with other tours around the world,” he said.

“It makes OWGR look obsolete if they don’t [accept LIV]. If they wake up at the end of the year and Dustin Johnson is 102 in the world, is that not a laughing stock to the OWGR? There’s two ways they can go: they can either fold, or they include LIV into OWGR. We’ll move on. Everyone’s happy after that.

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“If [the majors] ban players because of the PGA Tour, they have no right to tell each of those majors what to do. They’re independent organisations. Yes, certain members sit on their board. I get it and I understand that.

“[But] if you were a broadcaster you would be questioning the value of your investment for television if you don’t have the strongest field in each and every one of them. I hope they stay Switzerland.”