Greg Norman claims that LIV Golf is on the verge of poaching extra gamers from the PGA Tour within the wake of Jon Rahm’s bombshell defection to the Saudi-backed tour.
The Australian nice, who’s LIV’s chief, has made claims to the BBC that as much as a dozen gamers need to enter severe negotiations to hitch the breakaway tour.
As merger talks between LIV’s paymaster the Public Funding Fund (PIF) and the PGA Tour proceed to stall, Norman has claimed that Rahm’s transfer has now handed his circuit main momentum in its recruitment battle.
Watch each spherical of the PGA Tour LIVE & Unique on Fox Sports activities, out there on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial Immediately >
“To have Jon (Rahm) on board was critically necessary to our subsequent steps into the long run and what we need to do,” Norman instructed the BBC’s World Enterprise Report. “It’ll create a domino impact, there might be extra apples falling from the tree – there’s no query about it, as a result of LIV continues to develop and develop.
Thriving Day & Ko declare Grant Thornton | 00:57
“Since Jon signed, lower than per week in the past now, I do know my telephone is blowing up. I do know we in all probability have eight to 12 gamers who’re very, very eager to take a seat down and discuss to us about approaching board. Time will inform.”
Norman mentioned that LIV’s 2024 roster is sort of stuffed, that means all of the gamers can’t be accommodated.
Nonetheless, he mentioned “perhaps inside two or three gamers” may come on board within the close to future.
He added: “It tells you the worth of what our platform is, the place these PGA Tour gamers see the chance that LIV presents. All the fellows that play on LIV are simply so completely happy in regards to the resolution that they’ve made.
One shot win for Day and Ko! | 01:40
“LIV is a distinct platform to the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour and the gamers need to do each fairly truthfully, so we’ve created one thing particular. It’s a franchise, it’s a crew mannequin they usually have embraced it 100 per cent.”
Norman’s warning got here per week after Masters champion Rahm defected from the PGA Tour on a deal that’s reported to be price nearly A$1 billion.
LIV’s precise plans for Rahm are but to be unveiled, however it’s rumoured he may type a whole four-man crew of PGA recruits by the point the subsequent season begins.