File photo of LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman. Image courtesy Twitter.
By Rahul Banerji
LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman, left out of all merger-related announcements so far has said the parallel league was very much in business and in the process of planning its 2025 season.
No announcement on the PIF-PGA Tour-DP World Tour coming together on Tuesday made mention of Norman, who has fronted LIV Golf from its inception and borne the brunt of the criticism and vitriol that has flowed in plenty for the last two years.
On Thursday though, Norman was unbowed, declaring in a conference call that there would be no change in status as far as LIV was concerned despite hints to the otherwise from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
“LIV is and will continue to be a standalone enterprise. Our business model will not change. We changed history and we’re not going anywhere,” Sports Illustrated quoted him as having said.
On Tuesday, Monahan, who will become chief executive of a new setup under the framework agreement arrived at with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, suggested there would be no link between the unified entity and Norman’s league.
The Aussie legend, however, added, “The spigot is now wide open for commercial sponsorships, blue-chip companies, TV networks,” for LIV’s team league model.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Munoz, Carlos Ortiz and David Puig ensured qualification to next week’s US Open, making it 15 LIV Golf members at the year’s third major.
According to the league website, all four members of LIV Golf DC winners Torque GC will be now in action at the Los Angeles Country Club from June 15 to 18 following Monday Qualifying this week.
Playoff wins
Muñoz came through a 4-for-2 playoff to claim one of the four spots out of 60 competitors at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland.
He was the 18-hole leader after an opening 66 before finishing with a 73 that dropped him into the playoff. The Colombian went through on the back of a 25-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole.
Mexico’s Ortiz won the 3-for-1 playoff to take the third and final spot among 51 players at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, Florida, making birdie on the sixth playoff hole.
Puig was among the five qualifiers out of 89 players competing at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. The 21-year-old Spaniard made four birdies on his final nine holes in his second round, securing his first major start with a birdie on his last hole in regulation.
Puig and Muñoz joined Torque captain Joaquin Niemann and Mito Pereira, who were pre qualified for the US Open on world ranking points.
Ortiz will join Sergio Garcia and Abraham Ancer as Fireballs representatives in Los Angeles. Ancer had qualified via world ranking, while team captain Garcia was one of eight players qualifying last month in Dallas.
Nine of the 12 LIV Golf League teams will have at least one member competing in the US Open.
They include PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka who will be in search of a second consecutive major and his sixth overall after last month’s success at Oak Hill.
For his part, HyFlyers captain Phil Mickelson is seeking a first US Open win to complete his career Grand Slam.
LIV Golf members at US Open
Abraham Ancer, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson, Sebastian Munoz, Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Neimann, Carlos Ortiz, Mito Pereira, Thomas Pieters, David Puig, and Patrick Reed.
Also read: PGA Tour agrees to merger with LIV Golf in shock move
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