LIV Golf boss Greg Norman’s latest Masters snub divides golf world

LIV Golf boss Greg Norman was sighted at The Masters for the first time since 2021 in bizarre scenes that have divided golf fans.

Greg Norman is back at The Masters in scenes that have divided the golfing world.

The Australian golfing legend, known more commonly as The Shark, was sighted walking the fairways of the famous Augusta National course after buying his own ticket to attend.

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The LIV Golf boss was forced into buying his way into the event after he was denied a ticket “through the proper professional channels”.

The bizarre move, confirmed by his son, makes it the first time the three-time Masters runner up has attended the event since 2021.

“Yes. All this is true,” Greg Norman Jr. posted.

“My dad paid for a ticket on the secondary market to attend the Masters as a patron. He was denied one directly after going through the proper professional channels. He had to be there anyway to support the LIV players.”

Norman said he was in attendance to show support to the 13 LIV Golf players competing in prestigious event.

“I’m here because we have 13 players that won 10 Masters between them,” Norman told The Washington Post.

“So I’m here just to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, you know, the boss is here rooting for you.’”

Norman talking with Australia’s Min Woo Lee in the crowd. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Norman’s attendance comes 12 months after Masters chairman Fred Ridley did not extend an invitation to the two-time major champion as golf’s civil war between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf waged on.

The two parties however have since announced plans of a merger, but Norman once again being snubbed has divided the golfing world with many believing the war is far from over.

One user on X wrote: “The fact that Greg Norman had to buy his own ticket to be a spectator at The Masters suggests to me any “unifying” (and who knows how low the bar will be set to be considered “unifying”) is still a ways off. We are at 10 months after the June 6th “merger” and counting.”

A second wrote: “The normal golf fan appreciates Greg Norman. It’s a disgrace how the establishment has treated the Shark.”

Others however believed the golfing icon wasn’t deserving of being given direct entry to The Masters and should be forced to pay just like everybody else.

One wrote: “I’m a defender of Norman but why should he get a free invite?”

A second added: “Chokers and those who disrespect the game of golf don’t get into #themasters for free!”

The ongoing feud between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf shows no signs of slowing down with Tiger Woods delivering the Saudi-backed venture it’s most famous rejection.

The five-time Masters champion turned down an eye-watering $1-1.2 billion to defect from the PGA Tour.

The Shark was spotted wondering around Augusta. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Norman said he hadn’t been met with any anomisity among the Augusta crowd, stating almost every patron had congratulated him on his LIV Golf venture.

“Walking around here today, there’s not one person who said to me, ‘Why did you do LIV?’” Norman said.

“There’s been hundreds of people, even security guys, stopping me, saying, ‘Hey, what you’re doing is fantastic.’ To me, that tells you that what we have and the platform fits within the ecosystem, and it’s good for the game of golf.”

Meanwhile on the course, Bryson DeChambeau, a LIV Golf player, stormed to an opening day lead after firing eight birdies and one bogey as he recorded a stunning seven under 65.

World number one Scottie Scheffler wasn’t going to let his fellow countryman get away as he closed out his opening round with a six under 66.

Cam Davis is the best placed of the Australian contingent, four shots back from the lead in equal fifth.

Originally published as LIV Golf boss Greg Norman’s latest Masters snub divides golf world