Greg Norman: If LIV golfer wins Masters, the rest will be waiting on 18th green to celebrate
While Greg Norman won't be there to witness it in person, the CEO of LIV Golf has already envisioned the celebration if one of his golfers wins the 2023 Masters Tournament.
In fact, the three-time Masters runner-up has a plan, which he detailed to The Daily Telegraph. Call it revenge for a snub or just an avenue to promote his product and rub it in the face of the PGA Tour, which he has been publicly and legally feuding with since the launch of his breakaway series.
Simply, if one of the 18 LIV Golf players wins the Masters on Sunday, the other 17 will be ready to party on the 18th green.
"If one of them wins then the other 17 will hang around and be there to congratulate him around the 18th green,” Norman told the British newspaper. "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."
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As for that snub? The two-time British Open winner told The Telegraph he wasn't invited to Augusta National Golf Course this year.
"As a major winner I always was (invited) before," Norman said, "but they only sent me a grounds pass last year and nothing, zilch, this time around. I’m disappointed because it’s so petty but, of course, I’ll still be watching."
The 2023 field includes six former Masters winners who now play in the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV: Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010), Charl Schwartzel (2011), Bubba Watson (2012, 2014), Sergio Garcia (2017), Patrick Reed (2018) and Dustin Johnson (2020).
Still most eyeballs will likely be on the stars of the PGA Tour. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion; world No. 3 Jon Rahm won the 2021 U.S. Open and finished fourth at the 2018 Masters. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, one of the most outspoken opponents of LIV and a four-time major winner, needs only a Masters win to compete golf's career Grand Slam. McIlroy finished second at Augusta last year.
And then there's 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, who is always the center of attention no matter where he plays, but especially at the Masters, which he has won five times, most recently in 2019. Woods last played at The Genesis Invitational on Feb. 19.
Norman said seeing an LIV golfer win at Augusta would "make up for all my own Augusta misery." The 68-year-old lost in a playoff to Larry Mize in 1987 and memorably blew a six-shot lead in the final round in 1996. So a win by one of his golfers could serve as vindication of sorts.
"They’re not going there as individuals, but as a team, backing each other, supporting and rooting for each other," Norman said. "I think that gives these great players an even greater chance next Sunday.
"I have faith in the players putting up a great show at the Masters and silencing the critics and making everyone realize we are a force for good in the game."
There might, however, be a big wrinkle to Norman's grand plan. LIV goler Cameron Smith, the defending British Open champion, said Monday he has not heard of any talk about a celebration and, if there was, "I definitely got left out on that one."
Contributing: Tom D'Angelo, Palm Beach Post
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Masters: Greg Norman says if LIV golfer wins, 18th green will be crazy
