PGA-LIV Golf: Greg Norman continues LIV recruiting drive at the Masters

Sport’s biggest civil war continued at the weekend as LIV mastermind Greg Norman infiltrated the Masters, despite his defectors failing to fire a shot at Augusta. While Tiger hints at peace talks.

In gatecrashing this week’s Masters, decked out in full rebel tour regalia, LIV mastermind Greg Norman goaded golf’s global establishment.

But when the chips were down on the biggest stage at Augusta National, The Shark’s 13 LIV defectors were either off the pace or nowhere to be seen.

It’s hard to argue against the prevailing view that playing on the breakaway Saudi-funded tour - “on resorts courses in their shorts” as three-time Masters winner Nick Faldo quipped this week - diminishes the competitive edge required to grind out majors.

Granted, Brooks Koepka is the current holder of the PGA Championship, but only manic innovator Bryson DeChambeau and Australian star Cameron Smith really fired a shot for LIV this week.

Jon Rahm, the defending Masters champion - who pocketed a mammoth $450m to abscond from the PGA Tour - barely made the cut and openly complained about the wind that wreaked havoc late on Friday - something Tiger Woods would never do.

Jon Rahm failed to get going at the weekend. Picture: Getty Images

Smith just couldn’t get his putter going and was coming off an untimely bout of food poisoning.

Dustin Johnson had a stinker and Koepka never challenged.

To be fair, neither did Rory McIlroy, the PGA Tour’s staunchest ally.

Rahm, a two-time major champion, has called on LIV chiefs to introduce a traditional 72-hole format - up from 54, which seems a little rich given the league’s big spend in its desire to be different.

The Spaniard also said he hoped his mega-bucks move to LIV might have sparked “a step towards some kind of agreement” but peace talks between the rival tours have slowed.

“I understood my position, yes. And I understood that it could be, hope it would be something that would help expedite that process,” Rahm said.

Could fan favourite Min Woo Lee be the next to defect to LIV? Picture: Getty Images

“But at the end of the day, I still did what I thought was best for myself.

“I still love the PGA Tour …. and I still hope that at some point I can compete there again.”

Asked after his final-round 71 about the view that LIV players now have less of a competitive advantage than their PGA Tour rivals, Australian star Cameron Smith was adamant.

“No. No, that’s BS,” he said.

Sadly, for those seeking a speedy resolution to golf’s damaging civil war - perhaps none more than powerful TV executives in America - LIV’s insatiable recruiting drive may be far from finished.

And one wonders just how much they will be prepared to pay young gun European sensations Ludvig Aberg and Nicolai Hojgaard or rising Australian star Min Woo Lee seen shaking hands with Norman on Wednesday amid his audacious, uninvited intrusion at Augusta.

Tiger Woods in his Sunday red. Picture: Getty Images

Tiger reveals LIV peace talks, hints at stunning reunion

Tiger Woods says talk between golf’s warring LIV and PGA Tour factions are “heading in the right direction”.

Woods met with LIV supremo Yasir Al-Rumayyan, head of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, in the Bahamas last month.

“That was a very positive meeting, and I think both sides came away from the meeting feeling positive,” Woods revealed after his final round 77 at the Masters.

“I don’t know if we’re closer, but certainly we’re headed in the right direction”

Woods, 48, also made clear that he intended to play in this year’s remaining three majors.

“I’m going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst, Valhalla and Troon, but that’s kind of the game plan,” Woods said.

Tiger Woods has hinted at peace talks in the LIV-PGA golf war. Picture: Getty

“I heard there’s some changes at the next couple sites. So got to get up there early and check them out.

“Just keep lifting, keep the motor going, keep the body moving, keep getting stronger, keep progressing. Hopefully the practice sessions will keep getting longer.

“It was a good week. It was a good week all around. I think that coming in here, not having played a full tournament in a very long time, it was a good fight on Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately yesterday it didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to.”

Playing in his 100th competitive Masters round, Woods finished at 16 over.

The 15-time major champion had a touching moment at the par-three 16th when he stopped to shake hands with retiring Masters broadcaster Verne Lundquist, the man behind the mic at the same hole 19 years ago when the golfing great made his miraculous “Oh Wow” chip-in for birdie enroute to another green jacket.

Originally published as PGA-LIV Golf: Greg Norman continues LIV recruiting drive at the Masters