Greg Norman on LIV Golf in bid for world ranking position, but worried about ‘cabal’ in golf

Greg Norman is confident in LIV Golf’s bid for World Golf Ranking recognition, and has urged Masters and other majors to remain neutral.

LIV Golf has fragmented golf, with players jumping off the PGA Tour on the back of massive contract offers.

Currently LIV players have the issue that they cannot earn ranking points as it does not have official status.

It has submitted a request, although there are objections from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

A meeting of the decision-making committee is believed to have taken place, but there is no word as to the outcome.

LIV chief Norman has lobbied for committee chairman Peter Dawson, and expects a fair trial in his organization’s bid for relevance.

“Peter and I have an open discussion about this. I went to Scotland to have dinner with him. He has our application, so he’ll go through the proper process to get it there.

“We would like to thank Mohan and (Keith) Pele (DP World Tour Commissioner) and (Martin) Slumbers (who heads R&A) and everyone who made negative comments about LIV, and they can’t vote. Bring it. They can’t.

“From the point of view of the OWGR (Official World Golf Ranking), if I’m in[Dawson’s]shoes, I’m getting independent legal advice.”

Augusta president Fred Ridley could be a key figure in any decision, given the weight of Masters.

Like Dawson, Norman has spoken to Ridley and urged him to take a neutral stand.

“I talked to Fred Ridley,” Norman said. “They have weighed very hard against (LIV). The majors should stay Switzerland, they have responsibility for an event, not a league.

“But it also tells you if there’s a cable in there? It’s that slippery slope you go down about what LIV is starting to uncover.”