LIV Golf: Influential senior official removed from position

An influential senior official has been ousted from his position at LIV Golf.

As reported by Sports Illustrated, chief events officer Ron Cross has abruptly left his role at the Saudi-backed circuit.

Cross, who had previously worked with the PGA Tour and Augusta National, was one of the first members of backroom staff announced when Greg Norman launched the series late in 2021.

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The executive was tasked with securing tournament venues and had a key role in finalising the schedule for the fledgling tour.

“I am sincerely thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of launching LIV Golf,” Cross told SI in a statement on Wednesday.

“While surprised in the change in direction at this time, I remain incredibly proud of the job being done by my Event Delivery Colleagues, LIV Golf team members, the players, caddies, venue and vendor partners to make LIV Golf a tremendous experience and wish them all the best for continued success.”

Cross played a key role in helping LIV’s eight event inaugural season to get off the ground in 2022 and has since overseen the series expand to a 14-event calendar this year.

He was also believed to be putting together plans for LIV’s 2024 season, which is still very much uncertain following the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi bankrollers of the circuit.

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“Ron Cross played an important role in the launch of LIV Golf and the establishment of our tournaments,” a LIV Golf statement read.

“We are grateful for his contributions. The success of LIV events has always been rooted in our ability to evolve and do things differently and we remain committed to those fundamental ideas going forward.”

Cross is not the only senior executive to depart his position, 20 months on from the launch of the series.

Atul Khosla, the chief operating officer, and Majed Al Sorour, the Golf Saudi chief and LIV managing director, both left before the start of the 2023 season.

LIV Golf, meanwhile, is in West Virginia this week for an event at the Greenbrier, the tenth tournament on this year’s calendar.