I would love for LIV Golf to come to India, says Greg Norman

LIV Golf board member Greg Norman at an interaction with journalists in Gurgaon on Sunday. Photo Rahul Banerji.

By Rahul Banerji

When it comes to golf, Greg Norman has been there, done that, and most importantly, walked the talk.

Besides repeatedly butting heads with the PGA Tour management and repeatedly having had his ideas stolen and later implemented, the 69-year-old Australian was finally able to revolutionise the golf landscape when he helped set up and run LIV Golf for its first three years.

In town for the finale of the hugely successful International Series India presented by DLF – LIV Golf’s first foray into the country – that concluded in Gurgaon on Sunday, Norman feels the sport is now on a new trajectory.

Having recently stepped down as chief executive and commissioner of the LIV Golf League at the end of his contract and now in talks to be part of the Olympic Games 2032 in his hometown of Brisbane, Norman is also of the opinion that LIV Golf will sooner or later land in India.

“I would love for LIV to come to India because to me, it’s significant,” he said. “Everything needs patience, needs baby steps.

“LIV created a new dynamic for the game of golf because it gave an opportunity for a new business model…different formats – LIV, Top Golf, TGL –  have emerged and enticed millions and millions of people to come into the game of golf.

“Whether LIV comes to India is a decision for others to make now, but from my perspective, I would love to see LIV Golf come to India. The International Series is an important pathway.

Creating chances

“Through the Asian Tour, we’re creating opportunities for young golfers in India and beyond. If we can create stepping stones for success, it helps grow the sport worldwide. That was always my aspiration—to expand golf’s global reach through LIV.

“The players love coming here—many of them even take time to visit the Taj Mahal, which, by the way, is on my bucket list!

“If you just look at the infancy of golf in India, it’s really just beginning.

“I’ve seen it firsthand. I built a couple of golf courses here in India a decade or two ago, and we knew back then—actually, I knew even before that, when I came here to play golf—that there was immense potential.

“I remember doing the first exhibition match in mainland China; that was a big moment for me and for golf. It was about opening new markets, and that’s incredibly important.

“Fast forward to today — through my golf course design career, I know that 50 percent of all new golf courses being built today are between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Pacific Rim. That includes India, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.

Indian story

“When you look at the opportunities for the next 25 years—essentially a generation—India is right in the middle of it. If you go back a decade or 15 years and look at the impact of Indian women golfers on the LPGA, their success has resonated across the country.

“India’s player ratio stands at about 73% male and 27% female, yet the women dominate the professional side. That shows the potential for the game’s continued growth here.”

Winner of 88 professional titles, Norman was all praise for LIV’s only Indian signing, Anirban Lahiri, why he was brought on board early in the Saudi Arabia-backed series and his role in the inaugural International Series India.

“I’m so glad you asked. Anirban was instrumental in getting us here. He and I talked about this two years ago—how to bring LIV to India.

Great ambassador

“He’s not just a great golfer, but he’s a great person, a great representative of his country. So, all those ingredients allowed me to go, let’s go do it,” Norman said of the seven-time international winner and Asian Tour merit order topper 10 years ago.

The Australian great was also full of praise for 15-year-old rising Indian amateur Kartik Singh, who made the cut at the International Series here. “He’s captured it. He made the cut. I think it’s pretty impressive. I haven’t seen his swing a golf club…I look forward to that.”

On the growth and spread of the International Series, Norman said, “I can step back now with a different perspective because I’m no longer the CEO of LIV. But looking back, I see the magnitude of the growth we’ve achieved in golf.

“The International Series is a key part of that growth. And seeing where we are today — DLF involved in India with the International Series — it’s rewarding. I remember the conversations about bringing an event here with India and DLF months ago, maybe even a year ago.

“The elevation of the series over the past 10 months—actually, probably within just four to five months—has been significant. It’s difficult to fully articulate the success when you’re only talking about a three-year-old initiative, or even just one or two years.

“But the success is evident in the level of competition, quality of players, TV coverage, beaming this event across the world and the sponsorships coming in behind DLF. These are all measures of success.

“I’ve learned that in the world of sports, patience is crucial. If you stay patient and true to your vision, and if you have the right leadership who understands the markets we play in — it leads to growth.

“Golf is a relationship-driven business. What works in India is different from what works in the US, Japan, or South Africa. Understanding the nuances of each market is key.”

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