LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has expressed his appreciation for Rory McIlroy's softer approach to discussing LIV Golf.
McIlroy has been a prominent critic of the Saudi-funded league since its inception last year, despite the involvement of golf's biggest names such as Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka.
In a July 2022 interview with CBS Sports' Kyle Porter, McIlroy stated that there was "no room in the golf world for LIV Golf" and expressed disagreement with the league's actions. He further mentioned that he would be "super happy" if LIV Golf ceased to exist.
However, in a recent episode of the Stick to Football podcast, McIlroy admitted to being "too judgmental" initially and acknowledged that not everyone is in his or Tiger Woods' position.
Greg Norman, CEO of Liv Golf Investments (Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)"I think at this point, I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start. I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods' position," McIlroy said.
"If I regret anything, it was probably being too judgmental at the start. I wouldn't say I've lost the fight against LIV, but I've just accepted the fact that this is part of our sport now. At the end of the day, we're professional golfers, and we play to make a living and make money, so I understand it."
This change in stance from McIlroy prompted praise from LIV Golf figures. CEO Greg Norman, who had engaged in verbal exchanges with McIlroy over the past year, expressed gratitude for McIlroy "falling on his sword" and acknowledged that McIlroy had judged LIV Golf without knowing all the facts.
"The reason I say I appreciate Rory falling on his sword, to some degree, is the fact that he did judge us without knowing the facts," Norman said on LIV's 'Fairway to Heaven' podcast.
"He judged us based on other people's thoughts and opinions. So, I say, 'hey, thank you, Rory.' We all knew it was going to work within the golf ecosystem. We all wanted to be there, and we are going to be there—he said that. To me, this is a hugely significant turning point for everybody."
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