Three years on from LIV Golf’s maiden tournament in the UK, here’s a look back on Tiger Woods’ stance on the controversial breakaway tour, which ripped the sport in half
Tiger Woods turned down Greg Norman’s huge offer to join LIV(Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods showed his true colours by snubbing an ‘enormous’ offer to defect to LIV Golf. Three years on from its controversial launch, the rebel tour is back in the UK, which hosted the tour’s maiden tournament at the Centurion Club in Hemel Hempstead.
This weekend, the JCB Golf and Country Club near Uttoxeter will host LIV stars like Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson. One of the top players who declined to join LIV was Woods.
Greg Norman, who was LIV’s CEO in 2022, approached the sporting icon about joining the breakaway series. In addition to his 15 major titles, only surpassed by Jack Nicklaus with 18, Woods is renowned for his daring and fearless approach to the game, which has made him a fan favourite.
Woods’ exceptional talent inspired a generation, including making him Rory McIlroy’s childhood hero, so it’s no surprise that Norman wanted him at LIV. Norman, a two-time major winner himself, disclosed his offer to Woods when LIV launched three years ago.
Norman described his offer to Woods as “mind-blowingly enormous.” He revealed: “We’re talking about high nine digits.”
However, Woods showed no interest in joining LIV Golf and emulating Mickelson’s move. For a long time, Woods and Mickelson were the top two players in the world, holding the No.1 and No.2 positions in the rankings.
Woods and Phil Mickelson had contrasting views on LIV Golf(Image: Christian Petersen/Getty Images for The Match)
Woods, when questioned about joining Mickelson at LIV, said: “He has his opinion on where he sees the game of golf going.
“I have my viewpoint, how I see the game of golf. I’ve supported the Tour, and my foundation has run events on the Tour for a number of years. I just think that what Jack (Nicklaus) and Arnold (Palmer) have done in starting the Tour, breaking away from the PGA of America, and creating our tour in 1968… I just think there’s a legacy to that.”
Highlighting his commitment to the PGA Tour, he added: “I’ve been playing out here for a couple of decades, and I think there’s a legacy to it. I still think that the Tour has so much to offer, so much opportunity.
“I understand different viewpoints, but I believe in legacies. I believe in major championships. I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There’s plenty of money out here. The Tour is growing.
Woods stayed loyal to the PGA Tour(Image: Getty Images)
“But it’s just like any other sport. It’s like tennis. You have to go out there and earn it. You’ve got to go out there and play for it. We have opportunity to go ahead and do it. It’s just not guaranteed up front.”
Woods has demonstrated his commitment to the PGA Tour following LIV’s inception, joining the PGA Tour’s Policy Board in 2023 and playing a key role in discussions about a potential merger between the tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV.
Talks over the end of golf’s civil war remain deadlocked following the “framework agreement” of 2023, which was supposed to pave the way to a peace deal. However, Woods’ wish for the divisive Norman to step aside was realised earlier this year.