PGA tour bullying its players: Norman

LOS ANGELES • Australian golf great Greg Norman has accused the PGA Tour of unfairly threatening its players in a bid to thwart a proposed Super Golf League (SGL) backed by Saudi Arabia, ESPN reported.

The broadcaster said on Thursday it had obtained a copy of a letter from Norman to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, in which the two-time Major champion accused the American of "going too far", and "being unfair" in telling players they would be denied PGA Tour membership if they play on the rival circuit.

"Simply put, you can't ban players from playing golf," Norman wrote. "Players have the right and the freedom to play where they like. I know for a fact that many PGA players were and still are interested in playing for a new league, in addition to playing for the Tour. What is wrong with that?

"What is wrong with allowing players to make their own decisions about where to play and how often to play? What is so wrong with player choice? Why do you feel so threatened that you would resort to such a desperate, unwise, and unenforceable threat?

"When you try to bluff and intimidate players by bullying and threatening them, you are guilty of going too far, being unfair, and you likely are in violation of the law."

The 67-year-old's LIV Golf Investments Group, which is bankrolled by the Saudis, has already launched the Asian Tour-sanctioned 10-event, 10-year series this year, after a US$200million (S$270 million) commitment.

However, the SGL is Norman's endgame and he has spearheaded plans for the new Tour, which had hoped to launch later this year with 14 events.

The upstart group hoped to lure top players with the promise of guaranteed money, but several stars had opted out, such as world No. 1 Jon Rahm of Spain, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, and Americans Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau.

On Thursday, Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele became the latest high-profile player to commit to the PGA Tour, saying the proposed SGL was not close to a "finished product".

Four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler have also pledged to stick with the PGA Tour, although both have echoed six-time Major champion Phil Mickelson in suggesting that even the threat of the breakaway league might force changes that would benefit players.

As talk of the SGL started to gain traction, the PGA Tour said in November it would increase the FedExCup bonus pool and championship prize from US$60 million to US$75 million and from US$15 million to US$18 million for the winner.

No golfer has publicly signed up for the proposed rival league.

However, the sheer money involved means the SGL is likely to come to fruition and that is the stance Norman is taking.

"Commissioner - this is just the beginning," he wrote to Monahan.

"It certainly is not the end."

The PGA Tour has said that it did not plan to comment on Norman's remarks.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS