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Report claims that Greg Norman is set to be dropped by Saudi-backed LIV Golf
Greg Norman has had a headline making year, with the Australian spearheading the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series and even attempting, and failing, to get a special exemption to compete in the 2022 Open Championship.
The two-time major winner has most recently received a barrage of criticism for comments where he seemingly attempted to play down the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi – who was was killed by Saudi agents in Istanbul in 2018.
Speaking at a LIV Golf press conference last week, Norman stated:
“From what I heard and what you guys reported just take ownership of what it is. Take ownership no matter what it is. Look, we’ve all made mistakes, and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward.”
Those comments were slammed by many, including Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz, who branded the 67-year-old’s words as “so hurtful” in response.
Now, the Australian’s chaotic tenure as the frontman for LIV Golf may well be coming to an end, according to a report from the man who blew the whistle on Phil Mickelson’s bombshell Saudi comments that sent the 2021 PGA Champ into an ongoing exile.
Alan Shipnuck, whose unauthorised biography on Mickelson is released this week, has claimed that a Tour agent has told him that Norman’s days are numbered with the Saudi-backed group.
In a recent Q&A on The Fire Pit Collective, Shipnuck made the claim, while musing that the potential departure of Norman may well have factored into Mickelson’s decision to pass on defending his title this week at Southern Hills:
“A prominent Tour agent recently confided that he is hearing Norman is on the outs with the Saudis, which would be another wild development in this saga.
If a leadership change is imminent with LIV Golf, that would be all the more reason for Mickelson to pass on the PGA Championship and take more time to assess a chaotic situation.”
In a separate piece on The Fire Pit Collection, Michael Bamberger revealed that Jack Nicklaus had been targeted to undertake the role that Norman has been doing, but that the Golden Bear twice turned down the lucrative offer:
“I was offered something in excess of $100 million by the Saudis, to do the job probably similar to the one that Greg is doing,” Nicklaus said per the article. “I turned it down. Once verbally, once in writing. I said ‘Guys, I have to stay with the PGA Tour. I helped start the PGA Tour.'”
The opening event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series is scheduled to take place at Centurion, near London, next month. It remains to be seen if Norman will still be in charge by then.
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.
In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.
Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.
PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole
Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.
Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.
Henley’s Suitcase
- Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
- Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
- Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
- Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
- Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype
LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!
Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.
Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.
Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
Celine’s Suitcase
- Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
- Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
- Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
- Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
- Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS
DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!
Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.
Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.
Kaneko’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping Max G440
- Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
- Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
- Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7
Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro
Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.
The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.
Alvaro’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
- Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
- Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
- Wedges
- Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C
A party on the green!
Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026
LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.
Niemann’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping 440 LST
- Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
- Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
- Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
- Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Ping PLD Anser
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Pingback: Report: LIV COO resigned from role following heated argument – GolfWRX
geohogan
May 18, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Jack Nicklaus once again demonstrates why he is the G.O.A.T.
Most majors, most runnerups in majors and character to back it up.
JP
May 18, 2022 at 5:15 pm
But he’s been working for the Saudis……
JoAnn
Aug 4, 2022 at 2:02 pm
Greg Norman thinks he’s King of LIV.
He’s a A##hole. NOT letting in Daly, and I’m done buying anything that has the SHARK on it !!!
benseattle
May 18, 2022 at 3:15 pm
If true, good riddance. For some thirty years, Greg Norman has preened before the world….all the while continuing to harbor a seething grudge against the PGA Tour. His seedy association with the Saudi fund isn’t designed to “grow the game” but is, instead, a vehicle intending to use massive Middle East oil money to lure clueless and/or naïve and/or uncaring golfers whose main concern is not about history but Cash Only. And, to be sure, they’ll get a few. Poaching PGA Tour players to compete in LIV Golf events will only serve to weaken the U.S. tournaments so why would commissioner Jay Monahan give them free rein to go and then come back? NOBODY is stopping any golfer to join the LIV tour but the bylaws — that they agreed to — stipulate that the door only swings one way. And while on the subject, what about the dozens of charities that could be devastated if LIV Golf is successful in siphoning off top players? Norman’s backers have no charity component; it’s all about stuffing dollars bills into the pockets of athletes with the sole intention of using sport as a cover for their various human rights abuses. You thought Norman’s 1996 Masters was bad? How about the humiliation if he’s deemed too toxic for the Saudi regime?
geohogan
May 20, 2022 at 3:12 pm
Narcissist Norman, was the “bait and switch” front man for MBS.
Tom Kay
May 18, 2022 at 1:16 pm
Greg has always been wound up tight. Ego is not your amigo.
Mrgeek33
May 18, 2022 at 11:07 am
I don’t care how much money they throw at it… I give it a year and it’ll be gone. Just like pretty much every other league that tries to compete with the Major leagues. XFL type of thing. There’s just not enough competition especially when you only have 16 of the top 100 players. Most of whom are washed up or at the end of their careers. Who wants to watch that?
Dave
May 18, 2022 at 9:28 am
Greg Norman, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Phil Mickelson are scum. Bunch of racist, disgusting fools who have no place in golf. The PGA has to remove these idiots from all the history books and venues.
Such a dark day for the PGA to have these racist disgusting old pieces of garbage as part of their history.
I hope all countries ban them from playing in any tournament.
geohogan
May 24, 2022 at 11:24 am
Next slave owner George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
America was build by genocide (50+ million indigenous people of Western hemisphere) and slavery. Understand you would want to selectively erase history.
Thomas Woodward
Jul 27, 2022 at 8:39 pm
WOW Dave, you’ve really flew off the handle with those statements. Are you an indoctro-procto syndrome suffer and mom and dad are going to banish you from the basement, or did you just find out ANTIFA is not going to give you a field commander position so you can quite your fry-cook job at Mc D’s? Either way, YOU GOT problems between the ears…
Michael
May 18, 2022 at 9:19 am
What goes around comes around. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
The boy king and his cohorts are getting what they deserve – embarrassment and ridicule – for hiring a clown with an ego bigger than their oil output.
I wonder if Bin Salaman or whatever the correct spelling is, will have someone whacked like they did with Kashoggi’s killers in order to try and have plausible denial for his screw up. Yet another one in a long line since this guy convinced the King tomato him the heir and CEO
White Hall
May 18, 2022 at 12:12 am
LIV it up homeboy!
Chismgism
May 17, 2022 at 9:32 pm
Gas shortage, baby formula shortage, food shortage… all caused by a leadership shortage. High prices, high taxes, high crime, high world tensions… all caused by His highness lyin Joe Biden.
geohogan
May 20, 2022 at 3:16 pm
dont forget covid 19, climate change, melting arctic, full moon,
monkey pox and your dogs itchy balls
Bob
May 17, 2022 at 5:56 pm
I heard Gary Player is an easy sellout who will do it for 50 million.
John mac
May 17, 2022 at 4:37 pm
But somehow, it,s ok to send billions of dollars worth of golf equipment, I mean weapons? MAGA double standard, me thinks.
Oldlefty70
May 17, 2022 at 5:46 pm
I don’t believe you do any real critical thinking…you must be a Biden zombie using this article about Greg Norman to take a mindless jab at Trump and the MAGA crowd!! Your man Joe embraced and approved of the Beijing Olympics….and you are o.k. with that…and you think corrupt dementia Joe is pure as the driven snow!!?
Bob
May 17, 2022 at 6:00 pm
How many wars did Trump start during his 4 years? How many did he even incite?
That’s what I thought. Get that TDS checked.
Trump is not in their Big Club. That’s why no war and no MIC welfare. Get yourself ready for the draft for Ukr so the Quid Pro Big Guy can get his 10 and keep himself and his junkie son out of jail.
AnnoyedWithYourDumbAss
May 17, 2022 at 7:24 pm
JFC you’re a fking idiot. Trump incited rebellion on his own government, used the National Guard on peaceful protestors while he cowered like a bitch in a bunker, taunted PDRK mercilessly, caused China to threaten the immediate calling on massive debts due to huge tariffs then further incited with “China virus” comments. You just ball wash Trump so much and suck up to Fox News blowhards that you’ve turned into a sheep.
Arthur Jones
Aug 9, 2022 at 1:02 pm
You’re entitled to your own idiocy but not your own facts. You don’t incite a rebellion by asking people to go home. All your cringeworthy criticisms are based on methods. You invective is devoid of substance. He taunted North Korea? what became of that? Oh right, Nothing. Retaliatory tariffs? Yes, it’s called a trade war but in fairness, I wouldn’t expect a braindead troglodyte like you to understand strategic macroeconomics. The greatest irony in your post is calling other people sheep right after regurgitating corporate media’s propaganda conflating a protest with an insurrection. The definition of a useful idiot.
JP
May 18, 2022 at 5:17 pm
Exactly. The red hat brigade pick and chose without reason because they ain’t smart enough to reason.
John
Aug 5, 2022 at 1:43 pm
That should be ‘picked and chose’. You shouldn’t be telling anyone they aren’t smart.
Drkviol801
May 20, 2022 at 5:23 am
TRUMPS FAULT FOR GAS PRICES, #SLAVAUKRAINA BLACK LIVES MATTER , LIBS LOVE KILLING BABIES !
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Glenn
May 17, 2022 at 2:45 pm
Let them play there. No reason they have to let them play on the PGA tour, their choice
Pingback: Report claims that Greg Norman is set to be dropped by Saudi-backed LIV Golf - PostoLink
Brain Damage
May 17, 2022 at 1:26 pm
It seems incredibly petty that golfers who belong to the PGA or the European tour are not being allowed (released) to play in this league. This is not the NBA, MLB, or NFL. This is freaking golf. These golfers are like independent contractors. If they want to go play in XYZ League or tournament they should be more than allowed to do as they please. Absolutely ridiculous. .
Jack
May 17, 2022 at 7:01 pm
You got the independent bit correct, yet ignored the contractor bit. Everyone on the PGA signs a contract of exclusivity to the PGA tour, if the PGA says you don’t get permission that’s the risk a player MUST accept by signing the contract. Permission has never been given for any event taking place in USA.
PGA isn’t banning them either, just means you can’t play on the PGA if you go to LIV.
ZFG
May 18, 2022 at 9:48 am
so where does “the match” phil vs tiger for $10M (not charity) fall under your permission slip rule? pretty sure that wasn’t a sanctioned pga tour event…
p.s i’d be willing to bet anything you can get or borrow that if tiger played in a LIV event he would still be welcomed to play any event he chooses on the pga tour… disagree?
Kevin Ricciardelli
May 18, 2022 at 11:22 am
Just like Brittney Griner?
Jeff Patterson
May 18, 2022 at 1:41 pm
No one is stopping them from playing wherever they want , they just saying you can’t come back to the Tour that you seem to despise and can’t wait to leave . So what’s the problem ?
JP
May 18, 2022 at 5:20 pm
Independent contractors ?
Imagine an independent contractor working for two competing IT firms in the same space at the same time. That’d be interesting.
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