Greg Norman may soon be on the way out as the LIV Golf CEO.
The Saudi-owned LIV Golf is reportedly conducting a search for a new CEO, according to a report from Sports Business Journal. Norman currently is employed as CEO of LIV Golf's parent company and the commissioner to the LIV Golf League.
The search has reportedly been going on for months, with a London-based executive search firm, Odgers Berndtson, conducting the sweep for candidates. The Saudi Public Investment Fund has used the firm with other executive searches for its sports investments, including Newcastle United in the English Premier League.
So far, the firm has been reaching out to sports executives with experience in big sports properties and leagues. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was engaged by the firm, but the talks did not progress beyond an initial outreach.
The change at CEO would come with additional C-suite positions, including a chief revenue officer and a chief learning officer. The LIV Golf team has seen significant change and turnover in just its few short years of existence. Most recently, the league hired Ilana Finley, former Nike Vice President of Global Communications and Social Impact for the Converse brand, as its new chief communications officer.
The SBJ report says it's unclear if Norman would have a future role with LIV Golf. He could remain as commissioner, find a ceremonial role of sorts or be engaged with the league in some other fashion. Norman seems to have significant internal support, so he may not be jettisoned from the organization.
However, both Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have publicly said in the past that Norman would have to be ousted from LIV Golf as a pre-condition of any detente between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The two sides, along with the DP World Tour's parent, the European Tour Group, entered into a framework agreement since late May 2023 to negotiate toward a potential final deal that include Saudi investment in either or both tours and potentially fold in LIV Golf to the existing professional golf infrastructure.
At the DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland two weeks ago, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Saudi Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan played together in the pro-am competition, with DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings competing, too. Though their place on the tee sheet led to speculation that a deal is closer, it's unclear exactly where the negotiations stand.
