Greg Norman: LIV Golfers in rivalry at Masters is ‘what folks need’
Ought to Brooks Koepka take his red-hot LIV form to the Masters this week, he might have 17 of his fellow converts cheering him on on the 18th gap at Augusta subsequent Sunday.
LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman has declared that‘s what his gamers had been telling him they had been going to do ought to considered one of their cohort, which incorporates Australian star Cameron Smith and former champions together with Dustin Johnson, win the inexperienced jacket.
The presence of the 18 LIV players, who’ve been banned by the PGA Tour, at Augusta has dominated the lead-in and Norman, in Orlando the place Koepka received his second occasion on the breakaway tour, declared the TV scores of a showdown on Sunday between Rory McIlroy and “considered one of my guys” can be in contrast to something golf had seen.
Creating an us-against-them mentality on the majors was by no means a part of the LIV plan for Norman, who mentioned organizers of the 4 main championships ought to have “all the time been Switzerland” and remained impartial amid ongoing lawsuits between LIV gamers and the PGA Tour and a world rankings blackout which might hit their ongoing qualification.
However having created disruption within the recreation, Norman mentioned there was no denying the power a Sunday showdown might create.
“I complement the Masters on letting the gamers play as a result of now they’ve one of the best discipline and they’re really now the true Tremendous Bowl,” Norman advised NCA NewsWire on Saturday.
“But when I‘m the Masters proper now, I’d need, on Sunday, DJ or Brooks or Cam, any of the fellows in opposition to Rory (McIlroy) and Jon Rahm. Are you able to think about what the TV scores can be like?
“It’s what folks need, it’s what the TV desires. The scores might be far greater than another scores in case you‘ve obtained Rory taking part in any considered one of our prime guys.”
Norman is adamant his “guys” might be vying for the inexperienced jacket too, having tricked up the greens at Orange County Nationwide golf membership to assist their preparation.
However he pointed to predicted moist climate at Augusta as additionally probably taking part in into the arms of fellows like Smith, Johnson and Koepka.
“They’re so targeted. We obtained these inexperienced quickens round 13 proper now, they’ll be somewhat bit faster tomorrow, in order that they’re working their manner into subsequent week, however subsequent week, it’s going to be a washout,” Norman mentioned.
“The golf course goes to melt, and go well with a few my boys. It’s going to be an enormous, lengthy carry golf course. You realize, Cam carries the ball a great distance, DJ, Brooks too.”
And may that convert to a win, Norman mentioned whichever one is standing on the 18th inexperienced might have a LIV cheer squad there to help them, a picture the Australian legend mentioned “provides me goosebumps”.
“There’s discuss in our groups throughout right here, there are 18 or us LIV guys at Augusta and if one of many guys, regardless of who it’s, they’re all going to be there on the 18th inexperienced, they’re all going to be there, and that simply provides me goosebumps to consider,” he mentioned.
“Whenever you stroll up 18, your caddy hugs you then you definitely see your spouse or your mum and pop. Now to have these 17 different guys there, that’s the spirit we would like,” he mentioned.
“That’s what these guys speak about. They’re saying regardless of who wins, regardless of who’s in that place, we’re going to be there.
“And that simply provides me goosebumps to consider.”