03 April 2023 , 18:02
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Greg Norman has ramped up LIV Golf's rivalry with the PGA Tour ahead of the Masters as he discussed Rory McIlroy and how the Saudi-backed series would celebrate if one of their players was to win.
Prior to the action starting on Thursday at Augusta, plenty of talk is being dominated by potential hostility between LIV Golf players and their PGA Tour counterparts, with some worried the traditional Masters Champions Dinner could be a tense occasion.
The likes of Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka will be desperate to get one over the PGA Tour come Sunday but LIV critic McIlroy and co will be out to dash their dreams.
Speaking of McIlroy, Norman has once again taken a swipe at him following the changes the PGA Tour have made in recent times as the American circuit looks to keep players on side amid the threat from LIV Golf.
Discussing how up for the Masters LIV players are, Norman told The Telegraph : "I mean, how can our players not be extra motivated, even though it’s the Masters and regardless what Gary Player says, is probably the biggest event in the game.
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"There’s been insults recently that LIV is not ‘real golf’ and I get truly miffed by that hypocrisy. Rory McIlroy implied we were opening some kind of circus and that LIV is an ‘exhibition’. And yet, on his and Tiger Woods’s advice the PGA Tour goes ahead and does the same thing in doing their limited field events with more money etc. Where's the consistency right?
"It’s nonsense. I assure you from our players’ perspective that they take it very, very seriously. And I can also tell you emphatically - and I won't mention any names here - but some of our players tell me they get more nervous playing on the team than playing on Tour as an individual.
Rory McIlroy is out to finally win the Masters after some agonising near-misses (Getty Images)"They’re playing for three other guys as well and that team unit is a powerful force. I have faith in the players putting up a great show at the Masters and silencing the critics and making everyone realise we are a force for good in the game."
There are 18 LIV Golf stars teeing it up at the iconic Augusta course this week, and Norman has fuelled the flames by discussing the possibility of his players celebrating near the 18th green if one was to triumph.
"They’ve said that if one of them wins then the other 17 will hang around and be there to congratulate him around the 18th green," he added. "Could you imagine what a scene that would be, all these players hugging the winner. You only see things like that in the Ryder Cup, although it’s happening in our events more and more."